New Communities in Greenwich
May 2007
Social Inclusion & Justice Division
Chief Executives Dept
Riverside House
Woolwich High St
SE18 6BY
Tel: 020 8921 6058
Fax: 020 8921 5104
Textphone: 020 8921 5690
email:
Contents
1Introduction
2Key findings
Demographic
Community Needs
3What do we mean by a ‘new community’
4The growth of new communities in Greenwich
5The current profile
The school population
6Projected changes
7New Ethnic Communities
African
Overview
The Nigerian Community
The Ghanaian community
The Somali Community
Other African Communities
Asian
Overview
The Indian Community
The Chinese Community
The Vietnamese Community
The Pakistani Community
The Sri Lankan Community
The Bangladeshi Community
The Nepalese Community
Other Asian Communities
European
Overview
EU (excluding accession countries)
EU accession countries
Europe (Non EU countries)
Middle Eastern
Caribbean
Other communities
8Needs and views of new ethnic communities in Greenwich
Community facilities
Language barriers
Children’s Education
Youth services
Housing
Older people
Health
Leisure services
Employment and training
Access to Grants from the Council
Community safety
Community cohesion and integration
APPENDICES
Community groups consulted
Further information
1Introduction
This report provides a demographic profile of the new ethnic communities in Greenwich and summarises some of the key issues identified by the communities themselves as being important.
The report is based on information from the following sources:
1) Desk research using demographic data from:
- National Census (1991 and 2001)
- Greenwich Schools Census (2001-2007)
- DWP National Insurance No Allocations (2002-2006)
- Worker Registration Scheme (2004-2006)
- Greenwich Electoral Register (2005 – 2007)
- ONS Register of Births (2001-2005)
- GLA Ethnic Group Population Projections (2001-2026)
2) Discussions with officers providing Council services to new communities including housing and education.
3) Discussions with external organisations including Greenwich Primary Care Trust, Greenwich Community College, Metropolitan Police, Jobcentre Plus, local housing associations, employment agencies, shops and cafes, and London-wide community organisations.
4) Interviews carried out in 2006 with representatives and individuals from the following communities: Nigerian, Ghanaian, Sierra Leonean, Ugandan, Congolese, Zambian, Zimbabwean, Mauritian, Vietnamese, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Nepalese, Albanian, Kosovan, Turkish.
5) Focus group meetings involving participants from the Somali, Polish, Lithuanian, Czech, and Slovak communities.
2Key findings
Demographic
- The total ethnic minority population of Greenwich in 2006 was estimated to be between 75,000 and 80,000 (approximately 33% of the total population). This represents an increase of between 21% and 27% over the 2001 census figure of 63,112.
- The largest ethnic group after White British is Black African. In 2006, the Black African community was estimated to be 26,000 (11% of the total population). The largest communities are Nigerian, Somali and Ghanaian.
- The total Asian community was estimated in 2006 to be between 19,000 and 21,0000 (8-9% of the total population). Approximately half are of Indian origin. Greenwich has among the largest Vietnamese and Nepalese communities in London.
- The borough has seen a rapid increase in the number of migrant workers from Eastern Europe especially from Poland and Lithuania but the total numbers are lower than in many other London boroughs.
- The GLA estimates that the total non-white population of Greenwich will increase by 137% between 2001 and 2026, with the largest increases being in the Black African and Asian Other groups and the smallest increases being in the India and Black Caribbean groups.
Community Needs
- There are very wide differences between communities and within some ethnic groups on indicators of need such as unemployment, housing tenure, knowledge of English and educational attainment. Recently arrived refugee communities including Somalis and Kosovans tend to have to the highest levels of need.
Key concerns raised by the communities included:
- The need for facilities and accommodation from which the community can provide its own organisation and support
- The importance of learning English and having access to ESOL classes
- Problems faced by children in settling at school, especially if they are from a country which has little formal education; and the need for extra support
- The need for more youth activities to divert young people away from crime
- Problems of overcrowding and gaining access to suitable housing
- Isolation faced by older people
- Health issues for refugees and people with HIV/AIDS.
- Restricted access to leisure services resulting from cultural and religious differences
- Access to employment which matched their level of skills and experience
- Access to Council grants
- Concerns about community safety and racism
3What do we mean by a ‘new community’
By a new community we mean a group of people which shares common national or ethnic origins and which is currently growing either as a result of new births or because of inward migration from other areas of the country or from abroad. It does not necessarily imply that people in that group have anything else in common or have a shared sense of identify or would choose to identify with that group.
We recognise that ethnic, racial, cultural and national identity in Britain is becoming increasingly complex and fluid. The data for this report is drawn from official statistics which do not fully reflect this complexity.
4The growth of new communities in Greenwich
The growth of new communities in Greenwich has largely mirrored national and international population movements beginning with economic migration from new commonwealth countries in Asia and the Caribbean in the 1950s and 60s.
Key events which have had an impact on the borough have been the expulsion of Asians from East Africa in the 1970s, the conflict in Cyprus in the 1960s and 70s, the dispersal of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong in the 1970s, and refugee movements following the outbreak of war in Sri Lanka in 1983, Somalia 1991, and from Kosovo in 1999. The borough also welcomed substantial numbers from Ireland in the 1970s and 80s and from a wide range of African countries from the 1980s to the present day. Most recently the borough has seen an inflow of migrant workers from Europe following the expansion of the EU in 2004.
However, patterns of settlement vary widely across London. Compared with some other London boroughs, Greenwich has relatively small communities from the Middle East, South America and Eastern Europe. The borough also has a very small Jewish population.
Between 1981 and 2001 the number of Greenwich residents born outside the UK increased from 19,932 (9.5%) to 38,738 (18%).
In 2001, 63,112 people (29% of the Greenwich population) were from ethnic minority communities (other than White British). The borough had the sixth highest percentage of Sikhs, eighth highest percentage of Black Africans and the tenth highest percentage of Indians in London.
Census migration data for the year preceding the census shows that there was a net outflow of White residents from the borough with a high number moving to Bexley. There was a net inflow of Black African, Pakistani, Chinese and other Asian residents.
In 2005, 48% of births to Greenwich residents were to mothers born outside the UK. This compares to 51% for the whole of London.
Some of the more established communities are now experiencing low growth, stabilisation or decline in numbers (Indian, Irish, Vietnamese, Caribbean) while others are growing rapidly as a result of new migration and high birth rates in existing communities. The groups increasing rapidly at the moment are some Black African, European and Asian communities.
The increase in privately rented accommodation in the new housing development areas is likely to have created new opportunities for migrants to settle in Greenwich.
5The current profile
The total ethnic minority population in 2006 was estimated to be in the region of 75,000 to 80,000, an increase of approximately 23% over the 2001 census figure. This represents between 32-34% of the total population (estimated by the GLA to be 234,034 in 2006).
The table below is a best guess estimate based on recent evidence from the Worker Registration Scheme and the DWP National Insurance Number allocations.
Region of origin / Total population estimateAfrica / 26,000
Asia / 20,000
Europe (EU) / 11,000
Caribbean / 7,000
Europe (2004 Accession) / 4,500
Middle East / 2,500
Europe (non EU) / 2,000
Oceania / 2,000
C & S America / 1,500
N America / 1,500
Communities of over 500 people which are thought to be increasing are:
African: Nigerian, Ghanaian, Somali, South African, Zimbabwean, Ugandan
Sierra Leonean
Asian: Indian, Chinese, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Nepalese, Bangladeshi
European and other: Polish, Lithuanian, Cypriot, Turkish
Communities of over 500 people which are thought to be stable or reducing are:
Irish, Vietnamese, Caribbean
The school population
In September 2006, children from ethnic minority communities made up approximately 52% of pupils in Greenwich schools. Between 2001 and 2006 the number of ethnic minority pupils increased by 32%, while the total number of pupils remained almost unchanged.
The groups of pupils which showed the largest increases between 2003 and 2006 were Nigerian (+70%), Ghanaian (+63%), Asian Other (+58%), Somali (+50%), Other (+50%) and White European (+42%). The groups which fell in numbers included White Irish (-28%), White Other (-23%), Indian (-15%), White British (-10%), Caribbean (-5%) and Vietnamese (-4%).
Provisional data from the January 2007 schools census suggests that a third of all school pupils are from families where a language other than English is spoken at home, with well over 100 different languages being spoken.
Ethnic minority children represent over 80% of pupils in 8 primary schools including two schools which have over 90%.
Children of Black African heritage now make up more than a quarter of the pupils in 25 primary schools and 50% or more in 4 primary schools.
The number of children of mixed ethnic or national heritage is growing rapidly and is now over 2,800, 8% of the school population (almost three times larger than the number of Somali children, and only slightly fewer than the number of Nigerian children). At the census 5,860 people were of mixed ethnic heritage.
6Projected changes
In 2006, the GLA released population projections for the London boroughs for the period 2001 to 2026. These are based on migration patterns in the year before the Census and use aggregated ethnic groups (e.g. it is not possible to distinguish between White British and White European). They do not take into account the growth in migration from Europe following expansion of the EU in 2004, or the evidence on international migration from the DWP National Insurance data. It is also the case that international migration is often unpredictable and unforeseen. For these reasons, the projections must be used with extreme caution.
The GLA estimates that the Greenwich population will increase by 35.5% between 2001 and 2026 from 217,460 to 294,718. The increases in each ethnic group are shown below:
Greenwich / 2001 / % / 2006 / % / 2016 / % / 2026 / % / %change
2001-26
White / 167,602 / 77.1 / 166,114 / 71.0 / 176,088 / 63.7 / 176,452 / 59.9 / 5.3
Black African / 15,579 / 7.2 / 24,667 / 10.5 / 40,253 / 14.6 / 48,884 / 16.6 / 213.8
Indian / 9,535 / 4.4 / 10,789 / 4.6 / 13,440 / 4.9 / 15,114 / 5.1 / 58.5
Black Caribbean / 6,842 / 3.1 / 7,651 / 3.3 / 9,288 / 3.4 / 10,049 / 3.4 / 46.9
Black Other / 4,908 / 2.3 / 6,355 / 2.7 / 9,043 / 3.3 / 10,465 / 3.6 / 113.3
Other / 3,805 / 1.7 / 5,367 / 2.3 / 8,234 / 3.0 / 9,643 / 3.3 / 153.5
Other Asian / 3,421 / 1.6 / 5,246 / 2.2 / 8,440 / 3.1 / 10,080 / 3.4 / 194.6
Chinese / 2,584 / 1.2 / 3,596 / 1.5 / 5,350 / 1.9 / 6,339 / 2.2 / 145.3
Pakistani / 1,938 / 0.9 / 2,666 / 1.1 / 4,114 / 1.5 / 5,141 / 1.7 / 165.3
Bangladeshi / 1,246 / 0.6 / 1,582 / 0.7 / 2,182 / 0.8 / 2,550 / 0.9 / 104.6
Total / 217,460 / 100 / 234,034 / 100 / 276,430 / 100 / 294,718 / 100 / 35.5
Key points to note:
- The Black African community has the largest numerical and percentage increase between 2001 and 2026. By 2026 it is projected that the community will have grown by over 200% and will be nearly 17% of the total population, making it by far the largest ethnic minority group
- As the third largest ethnic group, the Indian community is projected to grow at a much slower rate
- Other groups projected to increase rapidly are Other Asian, Pakistani, Other and Chinese
- The lowest growth rates are among the White, Caribbean and Indian communities.
7New Ethnic Communities
The sections below provide estimates of the larger communities in the borough, and summarise information on economic status, educational attainment, religion and geographical location, where known. For some of the communities, London data is presented where Greenwich data is not available
African
Overview
The community of African origin grew nearly four-fold between 1991 and 2001. A further three-fold increase from 15,579 to 48,884 is projected by the GLA between 2001 and 2026. The population in 2006 was estimated to be in the region of 25-30,000 (11-13% of the borough population). It is one of the largest African communities in the UK. In 2001 Greenwich had the 8th highest percentage of Black African residents. The three largest communities are Nigerian, Somali and Ghanaian.
There are wide differences in the social and economic positions of the different communities. Generally those communities which have arrived in recent years as refugees such as Somalis, Rwandans and Congolese have fared less well than those from West African countries with more urban populations. The two largest West African communities in Greenwich – Nigerians and Ghanaians are more likely to be fluent in English, have higher level qualifications and a high employment rate.
The majority of the African communities are Christian. Communities with a majority of Muslims include Somalis, Moroccans and Algerians.
The Nigerian Community
The Nigerian community is estimated to number between 10-12,000 (4-5% of the total population) and is the largest community after White British. The Nigerian community is continuing to grow - the Electoral Register showed an increase of 38% between 2005 and 2006, and the school census shows an increase of 70% between 2003 and 2006. The number of Nigerians registering for National Insurance numbers increased by 60% between 2002 and 2006 and in 2005/6 Greenwich had a higher number of registrations to Nigerians than any other local authority.
The largest communities live in the north and north east of the borough especially Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Glyndon and Woolwich.
84% of Greenwich residents born in Nigeria were Christian.
In London, most people born in Nigeria (55%) were living in social rented accommodation, with 32% in owner occupied accommodation.
Nigerian children in Greenwich achieved above average GCSE results in 2005.
The Ghanaian community
The Ghanaian community is thought to number between 2-3,000. It is also a community which is growing, with a 22% increase in numbers on the Electoral Register between 2005-6, and a 63% increase in the number of school pupils between 2003 and 2006.
The majority of Ghanaians live in Thamesmead, Abbey Wood, Woolwich Riverside, Woolwich Common and Glyndon.
90% of Greenwich residents born in Ghana were Christian.
In London, most people born in Ghana (57%) were living in social rented accommodation, with 30% in owner occupied accommodation.
Ghanaian children in Greenwich achieved above average GCSE results in 2005.
The Somali Community
The Somali community probably numbers 3-4,000, making it the second largest African community. In February 2006 there were 985 Somali pupils - an increase of 50% over 2003. Although the number of children has grown rapidly, there has been a relatively small and declining number of National Insurance registrations to Somali migrants. This suggests that the population is increasing mainly through births to existing residents rather than as a result of new migration. The census showed that Greenwich had an average number of people born in Somalia compared with other London boroughs.
Most Somalis live in the Woolwich Common, Woolwich Riverside and Glyndon areas. There are also communities in Plumstead, Ferrier Estate, Charlton and Abbey Wood.
The community is predominantly Muslim (88%) and refugee in origin.
The Somali community differs in many ways from the West African Nigerian and Ghanaian communities. In London, people born in Somalia had the lowest employment rate of any migrant community. There is a high proportion of lone mother households.
Somali children achieved well below average GCSE results in 2005.
In London, 63% of Somalis were living in social rented accommodation, with 18% in privately rented accommodation.
Other African Communities
The SouthAfrican and Zimbabwean communities have increased quite rapidly in Greenwich and London since 2001. There are approximately 1,000 of each (around 0.4% of the total population). At the time of the census most people born in South Africa living in Greenwich were White. It is assumed that the recent increases are likely to be of Black Africans with a number of Zimbabweans seeking asylum in the UK.
The two next largest African communities are those from Uganda and SierraLeone (around 1,000 each), both of which are likely to include people who have sought refuge in the UK. Over 60% of Greenwich residents born in these two countries were Christians.
Among the other African communities with numbers thought to be between 250 and 500 are people from Tanzania, Zambia, Gambia, Cameroon, and IvoryCoast. Since 2002 the numbers of people applying for National Insurance numbers in Greenwich from the Congo, Cameroon and the IvoryCoasthave doubled.
There are a number of communities from other African countries where the total population is likely to be less than two hundred. These include Ethiopia, Eritrea, Angola, Rwanda, Algeria and Morocco.
Most of these African communities live in the Woolwich, Glyndon and Thamesmead areas.
Children from other Black African communities achieved below average GCSE results in 2005.
Asian
Overview
The total population of Asian origin is likely to be in the region of 19-21,000 (8-9% of the total population). By far the largest community is from India, followed by China, Vietnam and Pakistani. Other substantial communities are from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The Indian Community
The Indian community is made up of around 10,000 people (4% of the total population). Many families were originally from Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania and are now well established and settled with an ageing population. There are just over 1,000 children from Indian families in Greenwich schools (2.7% of the total). However the number of school pupils of Indian origin fell by 15% between 2003 and 2006. Over 1,000 Indian nationals registered for National Insurance numbers over the past four years, indicating a small growth in the Indian community due to an inflow of migrant workers.
The community remains centred around the Plumstead area, although Indian families are also now widely settled across the borough.
Approximately one third are Sikh and one third Hindu. Christians are 17% and Muslims 4%.
Over 80% of the Indian community in Greenwich live in owner occupied homes.
Indians have a high employment rate.
Indian children in Greenwich achieved well above average GCSE results in 2005.
The Chinese Community
There are probably around 3-4,000 people of Chinese origin in the borough (1.5% of the total population) with very diverse roots including people born in Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. The community is continuing to grow as a result of new migration with 590 people registering for National Insurance numbers between 2002 and 2006.