01 June 2007
Economic migrants should be included in community cohesion strategies even if their stay in the UK is a short one, a leading charity said this week.
Two reports published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on May 29 focused on the experiences of Eastern European migrants. They noted that fewer than half of migrants received practical information on arrival, leaving many ignorant of the conditions attached to their immigration status, how to access health care and their legal rights at work.
JRF director Julia Unwin said: 'The government should value migrants as more than simply an economic resource and must continue to place importance on ensuring their integration into wider British society, even when their stay is expected to be temporary.'
JRF researchers said there was a strong case for ensuring all new migrants have access to practical information, that their housing needs are considered as part of wider housing strategies and that the problems they experience in accessing English classes are tackled.
A Local Government Association spokesman told Public Finance that the reduction in the budget for English teaching was a major concern for councils.
'Language is the key to integration. Once people start speaking the same language, there is no more “them and us” divide,' he said.
The spokesman added that it was also difficult for local authorities to plan for the needs of migrant communities without accurate data on numbers and patterns of migration.
A third JRF report, also published on May 29, examined neighbourhood relations in London and Manchester. It found that aggression against migrant communities was often fuelled by struggles for resources and perceptions of unfairness.
The Commission on Integration and Cohesion, launched by Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly last June, is expected to report next month.
It is charged with putting forward practical proposals on what can be done to foster better relations between communities.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said: 'Migrant workers make a major contribution to the economy but… new migrants and more settled communities can face challenges when migration patterns change.'
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