ATTITUDES TO
IMMIGRATION
Public have become more positive about immigration since Brexit
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Feb-15 Aug-15 Feb-16 Aug-16 Feb-17 Aug-17 Feb-18
% saying immigration’s impact on their country has been positive/negative on Britain
Negative
30%
Don’t know
6%
Positive
44%
Neutral
20%
On a scale of 0 to 10, has migration had a positive or negative impact on Britain? (0 is “very negative”, 10 is “very
positive”): 0-4=Negative; 5=Neutral; 6-10=Positive
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018; c2,000 GB adults aged 18+ conducted online February 2015-October 2016
March 2018
35%
57%64%
27%
20%
17%
19%
21%
30%
21%14%
47%
EU Referendum VoteParty Support
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Labour and Remain voters more likely to see immigration
Positive (6-10)
Neutral
Negative (0-4)
On a scale of 0 to 10, has migration had a positive or negative impact on Britain? (0 is “very negative”, 10 is “very
positive”)
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
as having a positive impact
Majority still want to see immigration numbers reduced
Increase a lot
Increase a little
Remained the same
Reduced a little
Reduced a lot
Don’t know
Do you think the number of immigrants coming to Britain nowadays should be increased a lot, increased a little,
remain the same as it is, reduced a little, or reduced a lot?
but those wanting it to be reduced a lot has fallen
5%
3%
3%
3%
5%
6%
5%
7%
23%
24%
27%
30%
22%
20%
23%
24%
40%
42%
37%
30%
4%
5%
4%
5%
Feb 2015
Apr 2016
Oct 2016
Mar 2018
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018; c2,000 GB adults aged 18+ February 2015-October 2016
3% 5% 4% 3%5%
10% 11%3%
18%
41% 45%
14%
30%
24%25%
26%
41%
18% 13%
51%
3% 2% 3% 2%
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
Majorities of Conservative and Leave voters want immigration
Do you think the number of immigrants coming to Britain nowadays should be increased a lot, increased a little,
remain the same as it is, reduced a little, or reduced a lot?
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Party Support EU Referendum Vote
Increased a lot
Increased a
little
Remained the
same
Reduced a little
Reduced a lot
Don’t know
reduced
8%
13%
61%
10%
3%
4%
6 in 10 say their views on immigration have not changed
Slightly less worried
Views not changed
Slightly more worried
Much more worried
Don’t know
And would you say that you have become more or less worried about immigration since Britain voted to leave
the EU in 2016, or have your views not changed?
21% More worried13% Less worried
since Brexit vote although 1 in 5 more worried
Much less worried
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
61% Views not changed
7% 7% 8% 8%
11% 17% 13% 12%
58%
64% 70%
56%
18%6%
5%
18%
5% 3% 1% 6%1% 4% 4%
1%
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
Less difference between parties although Leave voters
And would you say you have become more or less worried about immigration since Britain voted to leave the
European Union in June 2016, or have your views not changed?
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Political Voting Intention EU Referendum Vote
Much more
worried
Slightly more
worried
Views haven’t
changed
Slightly less
worried
Much less
worried
Don’t know
more likely to have become more worried
7% 5%13%
15%12%
13%
66%
62%55%
7%13%
14%
3% 4%3%3% 4% 2%
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
Those negative about immigration more likely to say they have
And would you say you have become more or less worried about immigration since Britain voted to leave the
European Union in June 2016, or have your views not changed?
Positive Neutral Negative
Impact Immigration has had on Britain
Much more
worried
Slightly more
worried
Views haven’t
changed
Slightly less
worried
Much less
worried
Don’t know
become both more and less worried since the referendum
10% 14% 25% 33% 6% 11% Increased a little
Increased a lot
Remained the same
Decreased a little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
Since Brexit vote numbers have fallen – four in ten people
Official figures*: number of EU migrants down
by 19% year after Brexit
have noticed this
Do you think the number of EU immigrants coming into the UK has increased
remained the same as it is, or reduced since EU ref vote?
March 2018
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018*https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internation
almigration/articles/migrationsincethebrexitvotewhatschangedinsixcharts/2017-11-30
9% 10% 5%15%
17%13%
12%
19%
27%24%
21%
27%
37%
34%
40%
29%
3%10% 13%
1%
6% 8%9% 10%
Remain voters more likely to think immigration has decreased while
I would now like to ask you some questions about what you think has happened since Britain voted to leave the European
Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has increased,
decreased or stayed the same since June 2016. - The number of EU immigrants coming into the UK
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Party Support EU Referendum Vote
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Stay about the
same
Decreased a
little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
Leave voters are split while little difference by party support
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
Those who are more negative about immigration are more likely
I would now like to ask you some questions about what you think has happened since Britain voted to leave the European
Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has increased,
decreased or stayed the same since June 2016. - The number of EU immigrants coming into the UK
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Stay about the
same
Decreased a
little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
to think there has been an increase
4% 7%
21%11%18%
18%24%
28%
26%
42%
28%
26%
11%3%
2%8%
16%7%
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
Positive Neutral Negative
Impact Immigration has had on Britain
8% 16% 55% 8% 1% 12% Increased a little
Increased a lot
Remained the same
Decreased a little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
And majority have noticed no difference in their
local area
Do you think the number of EU immigrants living in your local area has increased
remained the same as it is, or reduced since EU ref vote?
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
9% 7% 4%12%
16%15%
10%
22%
58%55%
62%
50%
6%11% 12%
4%1% 2% 2% 1%
10% 10% 11% 11%
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Leave voters more likely than Remain voters to think immigration
I would now like to ask you some questions about what you think has happened since Britain voted to leave the European
Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has increased,
decreased or stayed the same since June 2016. - The number of EU immigrants living in your local area
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Party Support EU Referendum Vote
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Stay about the
same
Decreased a
little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
has increased in their local area
27%
22%
26%
32%
28%
31%
34%
26%
37%
36%
32%
33%
8%
12%
8%
10%
Feb-15
Mar-15
Apr-15
Mar-18
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018; c2,000 GB adults aged 18+ conducted online February 2015-October 2016
People are split on whether we’re talking about
It has been discussed
too much
It has been discussed
about the right amount
It has been discussed
too little
Don’t know
Generally speaking, do you think that the issue of immigration has been discussed in Britain too much, too little
or about the right amount over the last few years?
immigration too much or too little
23%
45%51%
14%
32%
21%
24%
28%
40%26%
18%
52%
5% 8% 7% 6%
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Labour and Remain voters more likely to think immigration’s been
Generally speaking, do you think that the issue of immigration has been discussed in Britain too much, too little
or about the right amount over the last few years?
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Political Voting Intention EU Referendum Vote
It has been discussed
too much
It has been discussed
about the right amount
It has been discussed
too little
Don’t know
discussed too much while Conservative and Leave think too little
Over half dissatisfied with government handling of issue
23
11 9 12
64
6061
53
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Feb 14 Feb 15 Feb 16 Feb 17 Feb 18
Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the current government is dealing with immigration?
Dissatisfied
Satisfied
but dissatisfaction has fallen since Feb 2015
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018; c4,000-1,500 GB adults aged 18+ conducted online February 2014-October 2016
4% 1% 2% 3%
21%
6%9%
11%
33%
26%
31% 28%
28%
34%
31% 30%
12%
28% 23% 26%
3% 5% 4% 3%
Leavers and Remainers equally dissatisfied with government
Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the current government is dealing with immigration?
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Party Support EU Referendum Vote
Very satisfied
Fairly satisfied
Neither satisfied
nor dissatisfied
Fairly dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Public tend to think direct investment into UK and quality of the NHS has
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Remained the same
Reduced a little
Reduced a lot
Don’t know
I would now like to ask you some questions about what you think has happened since Britain voted to leave the European
Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has increased,
decreased or stayed the same since June 2016.
6%
1%
1%
1%
19%
9%
3%
4%
39%
59%
35%
26%
23%
23%
33%
29%
3%
6%
23%
13%
10%
1%
5%
27%
The number of
unemployed
people in the UK
Your own standard
of living
The quality of the
NHS
Direct investment
into the UK from
EU member states
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
decreased since the referendum while less change on standard of living
1% 1% 1% 1%6%
2% 3% 4%
45%
27% 29%
42%
31%
37%40%
30%
15%
30%25% 20%
2% 4% 3% 4%
Even nearly half of Conservative supporters think quality of NHS has
I would now like to ask you some questions about what you think has happened since Britain voted to leave the European
Union in the referendum on 23 June 2016. For each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has increased,
decreased or stayed the same since June 2016. - The quality of the NHS
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Party Support EU Referendum Vote
Increased a lot
Increased a little
Stay about the
same
Decreased a
little
Decreased a lot
Don’t know
decreased since the referendum
Base: Online survey of 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted 9-13 March 2018
21%
69%
Even by leaving the EU, 7 in 10 are not confident that the
Very confident
Fairly confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
Don’t know
How confident, if at all, are you that by leaving the European Union, the Government will meet its net migration
target of “tens of thousands” over the next few years?
2%
19%
39%
30%
10%
Confident
Not Confident
government will meet its net migration targets
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Neither Leave nor Remain voters are very confident Government will
Last year Theresa May pledged that the government would reduce annual net migration (that is the number of migrants
coming into Britain minus the number leaving Britain) to the “tens of thousands”. How confident, if at all, are you that by
leaving the European Union, the government will meet this target over the next few years?
Conservative Labour Remain Leave
Political Voting Intention EU Referendum Vote
4% 2% 2% 4%
35%
12% 13%
25%
40%
40% 42%
39%
15%
37% 35%
26%
6% 9% 9% 6%
Very confident
Fairly confident
Not very confident
Not at all confident
Don’t know
reach the net immigration target
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018
Four in ten Brits think we are less positive about immigration than people in most
On average, do you think that Britons are more or less positive about the impact of immigration on Britain than
other Europeans are about immigration in their countries, or are they about the same?
7%
42%42%
9%
Britons are more positive about
immigration than people in most
other European countries
The level of worry is about
the same
Britons are less positive about
immigration than people in most other
European countries
Don’t know
other European countries – but in fact we are among the most positive
17%
40%
25%
20%
18%
15%
14%
11%
10%
9%
9%
6%
5%
Europe Total
Great Britain
Sweden
Spain
Germany
Poland
France
Belgium
Italy
Russia
Turkey
Serbia
Hungary
July 2017- Very positive/Fairly positive impact
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018 Base: c,1000 adults per country aged 18-75 conducted online July 2017
Remainers and those positive about immigration think we are more negative than
On average, do you think that Britons are more or less positive about the impact of immigration on Britain than
other Europeans are about immigration in their countries, or are they about the same?
others, Leavers and those negative about immigration think feelings are the same
Base: 1,060 GB adults aged 18-75 conducted online 9-13 March 2018 Base: c,1000 adults per country aged 18-75 conducted online July 2017
Britons are more positive about
immigration than people in most
other European countries
The level of worry is about the
same
Britons are less positive about
immigration than people in most
other European countries
Don’t know
5% 8% 8% 8% 6%
36%
49%
36%43%
52%
52%
36%51% 37%
37%
5% 7% 5%12%
5%
Remain Leave Positive Neutral Negative
EU Referendum Vote Impact Immigration has had on Britain