Projects & Themes

All Projects

Immigration

Understanding public attitudes to immigration. Proposing reforms to restore public confidence that immigration can work fairly for all of us.

Britain’s post-Brexit immigration approach needs to rebuild public confidence and secure political consent, while meeting the needs of the economy, public services and our global obligations. That will require a much deeper level of public involvement, to address people’s anxieties and respond with a system that manages the pressures and secures the gains of immigration.

Advocates for the gains of migration do not have the public and political support they need. We work  with civil society, employers and political voices to develop public messages, policy agendas and broader coalitions to engage concerns effectively by proposing constructive solutions.

The findings from our National Conversation on Immigration project inform our approach to policy change.

British Future, together with Hope not hate and the Home Affairs Select Committee, conducted the biggest-ever public consultation on immigration in 2018. The National Conversation on Immigration comprised over 130 meetings with local citizens and stakeholders in 60 locations across every nation and region of the UK, together with an online survey and nationally representative research by ICM. In total 19,951 people took part. Read its final report here.

‘What next for immigration?’ – conference report

‘What next for immigration?’ – conference report Date: 25 May 2021

Steve Ballinger reports from the ‘What next for immigration?’ conference, jointly hosted by British Future and Bright Blue.

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Thinking fast and slow: how will recovery affect attitudes to immigration?

Thinking fast and slow: how will recovery affect attitudes to immigration? Date: 5 May 2021

How will migration to the UK look in the future, and what will that mean for public attitudes? Asks British Future’s Director of Research and Relationships, Heather Rolfe.

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The accidental meeting of the net migration target

The accidental meeting of the net migration target Date: 27 November 2020

Having accidentally met the net migration target that dogged his predecessors, largely by accident, what next for PM Boris Jonson’s immigration policy?

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Immigration Bill: COVID-19 boosts public support for low-paid frontline workers

Immigration Bill: COVID-19 boosts public support for low-paid frontline workers Date: 19 May 2020

Most people think care workers and other low-paid migrant workers doing ‘important jobs’ should be exempt from a proposed ‘salary threshold’ – new poll.

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The reset moment: immigration in the new parliament

The reset moment: immigration in the new parliament Date: 16 March 2020

‘The reset moment: immigration in the new parliament’ by British Future and the Policy Institute at King’s College London, draws on new ICM research into public attitudes to immigration and integration.

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The Australian points system: what does the public think?

The Australian points system: what does the public think? Date: 27 January 2020

New ICM research for British Future finds out what the public thinks a new points-based immigration system should prioritise.

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Immigration after May: What should the new Prime Minister change?

Immigration after May: What should the new Prime Minister change? Date: 8 July 2019

The new Prime Minister must make a ‘clean break’ from the immigration approach of Theresa May if they are to restore public trust on the issue, says a new British Future report.

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Immigration White Paper: response

Immigration White Paper: response Date: 19 December 2018

Response to the Government’s new Immigration White Paper

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Biggest-ever public consultation on immigration finds striking lack of trust in Government

Biggest-ever public consultation on immigration finds striking lack of trust in Government Date: 17 September 2018

Urgent action is needed to restore public trust on immigration, according to the final report from the largest-ever public consultation on immigration.

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