Central and Eastern Europeans - Research and statistics

On this page you will find a summary of the research and statistics conducted on homelessness amongst Central and Eastern European migrants.

Research

• In January 2010, the Equality and Human Rights Commission published the first comprehensive report, The UK's New Europeans, looking at the skills and employment patterns of Britain’s eastern European migrants.
• In April 2008, Dr. Carol Corinne McNaughton, from The Centre for Housing Policy at University of York, presented a paper to the Housing Studies Association Annual Conference: Homelessness Among A8 Nationals.
• The Centre for Research on Nationalism, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism (CRONEM) has published an independent report on homelessness of new accessional migrants in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and the work of Barka. See the CRONEM report
• Research findings from our Survey of Needs and Provision (SNAP) related to migrants, with specific reference to Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Central and Eastern European migrants
• In February 2009 we published our Repeat Survey report about rough sleeping amongst Central and Eastern Europeans in London. The report follows a baseline survey conducted in November 2007, and provides an updated picture of rough sleeping amongst this client group. The findings suggest that the proportion of rough sleepers from CEE countries is increasing
• Shelter published a discussion paper, No Place Like Home?, in which it seeks to clarify the current situation relating to the housing and wider needs of migrants coming to the UK, as well as suggest options for reform. They are keen to use this discussion paper as a platform for further constructive debate with relevant partners
• BSHF (Building and Social Housing Foundation) published Home from Home a report looking at the accommodation needs of migrants in the UK
• The research and policy institute Centre for Cities has published a report, Accession to Recession which examines the differential labour market effects from A8 migration on two contrasting city economies - Bristol and Hull. It calls for all cities to do more to understand and integrate A8 workers into their local economy. March 2009
• Vulnerable workers: preliminary findings from Citizens Advice client research - BERR & Citizines Advice. January 2008
• Routes into London's homelessness services  - Broadway research into the experiences of A8 nationals. October 2007
• Social Impact of Migrants - presentation to Home Office Migration Impacts Forum. October 2007
• New EU members - migrant workers challenges & opportunities to UK trade unions, TUC report. August 2007
• Beyond Boundaries? - offering substance misuse services to new migrants in London. July 2007
• The economics of migration - TUC report finds the UK economy gains from migrant workers. June 2007
• Community cohesion - Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JFR) report on the effects of Eastern European migration on communities. May 2007
• Beyond the workplace - JRF report on the UK migration experiences of Eastern European nationals. May 2007

Statistics

Since A8 nationals are not subject to immigration control there is no information available on how many have actually entered the country since May 2004. The government has however has produced figures for the numbers who have registered for NI numbers and those registered on the Workers registration scheme. The ODPM has also monitored the lettings of social housing to A8 nationals.

The National Insurance statistics
NI statistics are used to monitor immigration into the UK:

• Registrations to Accession nationals increased by 91 thousand between 2003/04 and 2004/05 from 20 thousand to 111 thousand
• 63 thousands (57%) were from Poles. 16 thousand (14%) were Lithuanian and 10 thousand (9%) were Slovakian
• London remained the most likely destination for migrants over the period covered by the statistics, although the proportion residing in London is decreasing slightly. 39% of registrations in 2004/05 were made to migrants living in the London Government Office Region, down from 43% in 2002/03. The proportion of registrations made to immigrants in the South East rose from 11 to 12% between 2002/02 and 2004/05. The next most likely registrations were the East of England (8%) and the North West (7%).

The National Insurance Number Allocations to Overseas Nationals entering the UK.

Accession monitoring report
The Home Office, DWP, DCLG and the HM Revenue & Customs have published regular joint Accession monitoring reports. The Monitoring report covering May 2004 to March 2006 revealed that:

• 392,000 individuals applied to the Worker registration scheme between May 2004 & March 2005
• 4,385 applications for Job seekers allowance and Income support was received from this group but only 400 claims were allowed to proceed for further consideration
• 14% of Workers were based in London, however, other areas are increasingly seeing larger numbers and the Anglia region has now overtaken London with 15% of workers.

Social housing statistics
Local authority assistance to A8 nationals - information on A8 nationals accessing social housing under the Housing Act.
Statistics on number of A8 applicants accepted as being owed a main duty by the local authority (Table 628) and the reason why a main duty was owed (Table 629).

• In total between May 2004 and December 2005 there were a total of 1048 applications for homelessness assistance. In 386 of these cases a main duty owed to the applicant household was found. 662 households were found not to be owed a duty by the Local authority.

Access to the NHS
The Department of Health (DH) collected data on the number of A8 nationals accessing hospital treatment at a dozen NHS trusts across England in the period from May to December 2004.

Shelter factsheet
Shelter has published a new Immigration and Housing Factsheet which provides information on the trends of international migration to the UK, and looks at the impact migration has on both the economy and social housing.

The information on this page should be viewed as guidance only. The information supplied is based on resources we believe to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee that this information is fully comprehensive and up-to-date.