Housing, Regeneration and Planning. A Community Profile of EU8 Migrants in Edinburgh and An Evaluation of their Access to Key Services

Transcription

1 Housing, Regeneration and Planning A Community Profile of EU8 Migrants in Edinburgh and An Evaluation of their Access to Key Services

2 A COMMUNITY PROFILE OF EU8 MIGRANTS IN EDINBURGH AND AN EVALUATION OF THEIR ACCESS TO KEY SERVICES Pam Orchard, Andrzej Szymanski and Nad a Vlahova; Edinburgh Cyrenians Prepared for: The Scottish Government Homelessness Division And The City of Edinburgh Council (Homelessness Services) Scottish Government Social Research 2007

3 This report is available on the Scottish Government Social Research website only The views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and do not necessarily represent those of the Directorate or Scottish Ministers. Crown Copyright 2007 Limited extracts from the text may be produced provided the source is acknowledged. For more extensive reproduction, please write to the Chief Researcher at Office of Chief Researcher, 4th Floor West Rear, St Andrew s House, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

4 CONTENTS Page 1. Executive Summary 4 2. Introduction 9 3. Literature Review Methodology 22 5 Community Profile The Cowgate Centre and EU8 Service Users 40 7 Survey of Services 55 8 Recommendations 62 9 Conclusions 65 Bibliography 67 Appendix 70 Authors Pam Orchard Assistant Director, Edinburgh Cyrenians Andrzej Szymanski Project Research Co-ordinator Nad a Vlahova Project Outreach Worker With additional work by Rosie Robertson and Golda Fischer Research instruments can be obtained from Edinburgh Cyrenians: admin@cyrenians.org.uk Steering Group Kate Bilton (Scottish Government) Pippa Goldschmidt (Scottish Government), Chris MacLullich (City of Edinburgh Council), Phil Smith (Lothian and Borders Police), Rachel Helms and Lorna Gunn (Foursquare - Cowgate Centre), Daniel Coote (Scottish Council for Single Homeless) Chair Pam Orchard (Edinburgh Cyrenians)

5 The fieldwork on which these findings are based was conducted in 2006, before the Scottish Executive changed its name to the 'Scottish Government'. The term Scottish Executive is therefore used throughout the following report. 1 Executive Summary 1.1 Introduction Ten countries joined the European Union in May 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Citizens of Malta and Cyprus were granted the same freedom of movement and employment in the United Kingdom as the then existing members of the EU. Similar rights have been extended by the UK government to citizens of the other eight countries. We refer to these states as the European Union Eight (EU8). Migration into Edinburgh increased following EU enlargement and members of this emerging community of EU8 migrants began to access services. It was clear that this community would contribute to Edinburgh s economy; however, information on the social and demographic profile and longer term impact of this new group was limited. This study focuses on the demography of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh and their access to health, housing and other social care services. The research is divided into three sections: Community profile: survey of EU8 nationals Case study of a frontline homelessness service, the Cowgate Centre Survey of agencies working with EU8 nationals The vast majority of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh have been successful in both finding work and in securing their own accommodation. The City of Edinburgh Council has been quick to welcome new citizens, wherever they come from, as their economic and cultural contribution benefits the whole community. In , EU8 migrants made up approximately 30% of all overseas economic migration into Edinburgh and have filled vacancies that are vital to the growth of Edinburgh s economy as well as contributing to council tax income. The timing of this research was such that research was not directly undertaken with Bulgarian and Romanian migrants; however, it is proposed that the research findings will have relevance to the planning of services in relation to other new migrant populations. There has been on-going debate between the then Scottish Executive and local authorities about the rights and entitlements of EU8 migrants to housing and homelessness assistance. The terms of reference for this study were agreed through the New Member States Migrant Forum, a partnership convened by the City of Edinburgh Council, in collaboration with the then Scottish Executive. The partnership research project was funded through the then Scottish Executive and the City of 4

6 Edinburgh Council. The research was managed by Edinburgh Cyrenians through a steering group. 1.2 Community Profile of EU8 nationals in Edinburgh Information on the community of EU8 nationals living in Edinburgh is derived from two sources: official statistical information and a survey of EU8 nationals. Official statistical information Sources of information for estimating the size of the EU8 population in Edinburgh are: National Insurance Number (NINo) registrations (available by local authority) Home Office data on those registered with the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS) (only available for Scotland as a region) These sources are useful but cannot give a definitive account of the number of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh, because the figures do not include: those who have applied/registered in another part of the UK and subsequently migrated to Edinburgh those who came to Edinburgh and have never applied for a NINo or registered with the WRS (this includes dependents, those not required to register, and those not registered although required to do so) Conversely, the figures do include: those who have applied/registered whilst in Edinburgh and have subsequently moved away from Edinburgh Using official data, it is difficult to give an accurate figure for the EU8 migrant population in Edinburgh. A conservative estimate, based on NINo allocations, is 6,000. However, this figure is based on NINo allocations over a certain time period; furthermore, it cannot be taken as a definitive number due to the limitations of the data described above. Survey of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh The survey of this group has given an insight into the EU8 migrant population in Edinburgh, in terms of demographics and experiences of employment, housing and access to services. 67 EU nationals were surveyed, including respondents from seven of the eight EU8 states. The size of the sample means that we can only treat findings as an indication of this new community, rather than a definitive and an accurate picture. This is particularly the case as more people from the EU8 countries continue to arrive. Demographic information o Most migrants in our sample (58 respondents) were in the age bracket 5

7 o Most of the respondents (53) were single. 14 respondents were married or in a long-term partnership. 15 respondents were parents, with around half of these having their children with them in Edinburgh o Most left their countries of origin for economic reasons, and 52 specifically chose Edinburgh as their destination. 37 respondents had friends or family already living in the city o Almost a quarter (15) expressed the wish to settle permanently in the city, with a further 19 respondents planning to stay for two years or more Experiences of employment o Almost all of the respondents (64) were currently in employment o 33 respondents were registered with Worker Registration Scheme. Unregistered respondents included those looking for work; those who are self-employed and do not need to register; and those who work and did not register. o Most of the respondents were employed in the service sector: 42 in hospitality and catering and 10 in retail. o Our survey indicated that there is a mismatch between educational attainment and type of work undertaken by EU8 migrants in the city: about half of the sample were graduates, yet most were working in low-paid and low-skilled jobs. Experiences of housing o Around two-thirds of the respondents (49) had arranged accommodation in Edinburgh prior to their arrival, with most of these joining friends or family. o Almost all of the respondents lived in private rented accommodation. o 40 respondents reported that they had no problems finding accommodation. However, 27 did experience difficulties, including high rental prices, providing references and affording deposits. o One-third of respondents reported that they had experienced difficulties once in accommodation the most common difficulty cited was overcrowding. Experiences of accessing services o Most respondents regarded themselves as healthy and more than half of the respondents (39) said that they knew how to access NHS services. o Only six respondents reported that they needed assistance with issues such as welfare needs, mental health support or learning difficulties; and only one of these had actually contacted a service for support. o Respondents indicated that to improve accessibility to services, there should be more information in EU8 languages and multilingual staff available at key services. 6

8 1.3 Case study: the Cowgate Centre and EU8 users The research design focused initially on the extent to which EU8 migrants were seeking to access homelessness services. However, as the research progressed, it became clear that the proportion of EU8 migrants accessing homelessness services was lower than anticipated and the focus of the study was widened accordingly. Within the overall report, a case study was undertaken which focused on the Cowgate Centre to ascertain the particular needs and aspirations of EU8 migrants who had become homeless or who used the low cost and free facilities offered by this service. The Cowgate Centre offers support and, where appropriate, shelter to all homeless people over 16, including those who are not entitled to statutory homelessness assistance and who have no recourse to public funds. The numbers of EU8 migrants who have used the services of the Cowgate Centre constitute a small minority of the overall EU8 population in Edinburgh. Qualitative research was undertaken through in-depth interviews with 17 EU8 service-users at the Centre and in other frontline homelessness agencies. EU8 service-users at the Cowgate Centre can be classified into four main types : Younger EU8 migrants using the service for a short period Younger EU8 migrants who continue to use daytime services after moving on to employment and/or accommodation Younger EU8 migrants who return for repeated short periods EU8 migrants staying for longer periods Most EU8 service users access the Centre for shelter and support for a short period, whilst securing employment and accommodation. Younger EU8 nationals (under age 40) who represent the majority are more likely to possess relatively good English and manage to find work soon after arrival in Edinburgh. A small proportion of EU8 service users at the Cowgate Centre have acute mental health problems and addictions. Meeting their needs is complicated by communication problems and cultural differences. EU8 nationals using the Centre tend to have one or more of the following characteristics, in comparison with the general sample of EU8 migrants: Lower proficiency in English A lack of knowledge of, and preparation for, living and working in the UK Insufficient funds on arrival A lower level of educational attainment A lack of information on housing, employment and living conditions in Edinburgh A higher proportion of health problems The Cowgate Centre respondents are determined to find work and be independent. Just like our respondents from the general sample, their main goal is to find work, but due to a combination of various difficulties they come across, that goal is hard for them to reach. 7

9 1.4 Survey of services One of the main aims of this research was to make an assessment of the impact on housing, homelessness, health and social care services by migrants from the EU8. This section of the research was split into two stages: Survey of a range of services in Edinburgh, to gain information about their experiences of exposure to and work with EU8 migrants Qualitative interviews with several services within City of Edinburgh Council Children and Families department and agencies who work specifically with women There is very limited firm and documented evidence of work with EU8 migrants by services. Further, the evidence which does exist is not consistent from agency to agency. This limits the extent to which it is possible to assess the impact of EU8 migrants on services. There was a degree of overlap in the findings of the agency survey and the qualitative interviews; however, the specific and particular issues relating to EU8 women and children were extracted from the qualitative interview data. Survey of agencies: findings Nearly three-quarters of respondents reported that there had been an increase in enquiries from EU8 migrants since May 2004 Data would indicate that the majority of EU8 migrants presenting to services are male Respondents reported that EU8 nationals most frequently seek assistance from housing and accommodation services; followed by employment; welfare benefits; health; and language support The level of knowledge amongst EU8 migrants about their entitlements to assistance from housing, homelessness, health and social care services was found to be poor Language was considered the main barrier in providing services to EU8 migrants, and respondents reported that increased access to interpretation and translation services would make this barrier much easier to overcome Staff would benefit from training in: working with interpreters; entitlements to health and welfare benefits; the Worker Registration Scheme; and cultural awareness Qualitative interviews: findings Female EU8 migrants are accessing domestic abuse services, but very limited support can be offered if a woman has no recourse to public funds Female EU8 migrants who are fleeing domestic abuse can have more complex issues than indigenous clients, because the sense of isolation from family, friends and familiar culture is increased Female EU8 migrants with children can be left in a vulnerable situation if their relationship breaks down: in several cases, women have been left destitute because they have not worked or registered on the WRS 8

10 Families with children are accessing community centres and establishing community groups; however, this is currently concentrated in one area of Edinburgh, meaning that people are travelling city-wide to access it 9

11 2 Introduction The EU8 states joined the European Union on 1 May From this date on, citizens of these countries were granted freedom of movement across the EEA and free access to the labour market in the United Kingdom. However, nationals of the EU8 are subject to the UK s transitional regulations until May 2009, which limits their entitlement to social assistance. Whilst Malta and Cyprus are also accession states, their nationals were granted the same entitlements and access to the UK labour market as existing EU states. It became apparent that migration into Edinburgh had increased substantially following EU enlargement and that members of this emerging community of EU8 migrants were beginning to access health, housing and other social care services in increasing numbers. It was very clear that this community would contribute to the economy of the city; however, information on the demographic profile and longer term impact of this new group was limited. In response, the City of Edinburgh Council convened a consultative group, the New Member States Migrant Forum, to explore this issue. It was agreed that there was lack of knowledge about the scale of in-migration into Edinburgh by nationals from the EU8 states. In addition, the needs, aspirations and difficulties experienced by EU8 nationals in terms of employability, housing, health and social care and unmet special needs were unclear. Therefore, it was agreed that research should be undertaken to inform the Council. Furthermore, there was some debate about the interpretation of the EU Directive 2004/38/EC 1 relating to the rights and entitlements of EU8 migrants to social housing and homelessness assistance. The terms of reference for this study were agreed through the New Member States Migrant Forum in collaboration with the Scottish Executive. The project itself was funded through the then Scottish Executive s Homelessness Unit and the City of Edinburgh Council s Homelessness Services. On this basis, the study focuses on both housing circumstances and the incidence of homelessness within this group, whilst also providing a community profile of the emerging EU8 community in Edinburgh and an overview of their access to other key services. The study has been undertaken to provide a better understanding of the needs and aspirations of the emerging EU8 community in Edinburgh and to make a number of recommendations in relation enhancing their access to key services. The timing of this research was such that research was not directly undertaken with Bulgarian and Romanian migrants; however, it is proposed that the research findings will have relevance to the planning of services in relation to other new migrant populations. 1 Available from: 10

12 2.1 EU Enlargement Ten countries joined the European Union on 1 May 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Upon EU enlargement, citizens of Malta and Cyprus were granted the same freedom of movement and employment in the United Kingdom as the then existing members of the EU. Similar rights were extended by the UK government to citizens of the other eight countries. In much of the literature these eight countries are described as the Accession Eight or A8. In this research report, however, we will refer to these states as the European Union Eight, or EU8, to reflect the fact that they are now in the post-accession stage and their citizens now have freedom of movement across the EU and free access to labour market in the United Kingdom. 2.2 The economic contribution of EU8 migrants to the city of Edinburgh This study focuses on the demography of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh and their access to health, housing and other social care services. Much of the preceding research into EU8 migration has focused on labour market and economic impact and is reviewed in section 3. Most studies have identified that the vast majority of EU8 migrants are working 2 and this does not seem to have reduced employment in the areas in which EU8 migrants are concentrated 3. Therefore, it is clear that the net contribution to the economy of Edinburgh is overwhelmingly positive. Migrant workers are generally low users of public services; in addition, they are contributing to Edinburgh s continuing economic growth by filling key labour and skills shortages. For example, tourism generates around 2bn per year in visitor expenditure in Edinburgh and is vital to city s strategy of Live/Invest/Visit 4. Tourism is growing, with an estimated growth of 50% additional revenue by 2015 this will require approx 8,000-10,000 additional workers 5. Employers and businesses report a strong work ethic, high motivation and positive attitudes amongst migrant workers. As well as helping to fill vacancies vital to the growth of the city s economy, EU8 migrants also pay council tax, National Insurance and income tax. Therefore, the City of Edinburgh Council has been quick to welcome new citizens, wherever they come from, as their economic and cultural contribution benefits the whole community. 2.3 The City of Edinburgh Council New Member States Migrant Forum In the spring of 2005, the City of Edinburgh Council convened a forum of representatives from services that had come into contact with EU8 migrants. There were some questions and concerns about this growing population and an 2 CRONEM research, commissioned by BBC Newsnight 3 The Tayside Migrant Labour Population: Scale, Impacts and Experiences 4 see 5 Edinburgh Tourism Action Plan 04/07, available from: 11

13 eagerness to work together to share information and knowledge. This forum led to the identification of a range of questions relating to EU8 migration, including: the need for more detailed information about the extent of EU8 migration to Edinburgh; an understanding of the age, gender, family type, skill levels and expectations of migrants; the legal entitlement of EU8 migrants to services and social assistance particularly in relation to a small number of people accessing frontline homelessness services; availability of useful and relevant literature about services and means to settle in the city, for dissemination to EU8 migrants in appropriate languages; and the capacity by existing local communities (e.g. the long-standing Polish population in Edinburgh) to support new EU8 migrants. A research proposal was generated from the Forum. Resources were then identified to carry out both the research and a subsequent training and dissemination exercise over the period of a year. The aims of the research are as follows: A community profile The study was designed to establish the following: An informed estimate of the scale of in-migration of EU8 citizens A profile of this new community in terms of nationality, gender, age, family composition and reasons for migration into Edinburgh Future intentions and aspirations of this community The range of needs within this community relating to housing, homelessness, health and social care An assessment of the impact EU8 migration is having on relevant services The study was designed to gather information from services involved with housing, homelessness and social care in Edinburgh, in relation to the impact of EU8 migrants. Key areas of interest were: The level, for relevant services, of contact and engagement with EU8 migrants The main presenting issues in relation to services contact with EU8 migrants The capacity of services to respond to the needs of EU8 migrants As part of this assessment, a case study was undertaken with one frontline homelessness agency, as this has been where some of the most visible EU8 migration issues have manifested themselves. It is important to stress that this case study, whilst providing extremely valuable information about EU8 migrants who have high support needs and are not currently working, represents a picture of only a very small minority of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh. Recommendations Recommendations will be made relating to the ways in which services can best be planned in order to adjust to the needs and aspirations of Edinburgh s EU8 migrants. The initial focus was on housing and homelessness services. 12

14 However, the research objectives were predicated on the recognition that housing and homelessness issues cannot be considered in isolation from the provision of services relating to economic, family, health, employment and educational factors. As a result, whilst the principal focus has been on housing and homelessness, the recommendations also cover aspects of the provision and co-ordination of services in relation to: health, social care, skills and education, and information needs. A steering group was formed comprising Edinburgh Cyrenians, Foursquare (the Cowgate Centre), the City of Edinburgh Council, Scottish Council for Single Homeless (SCSH), the then Scottish Executive and Lothian and Borders Police. Additional research support was brought in by Edinburgh University s School of Social and Political Studies. 2.4 Legal entitlement to social housing and homelessness assistance for EU8 migrants The EU8 Directive There has been some debate between the Scottish Government and local authorities concerning the interpretation of the EU Directive which outlines the rights and entitlements of EU8 migrants to social housing and homelessness assistance. Under EU Directive 2004/38/EC, which is transposed into UK law by statutory instrument (SI) 2006/1003 6, the citizens of the EU8, Cyprus, Malta and the EEA16 7 have freedom of movement across the EEA and free access to the labour market in the United Kingdom. However, nationals of the EU8 are subject to the UK s transitional regulations until May 2009, which state which classes of EU nationals have different types of right of residence, and state that people can lose right of residence if they are an unreasonable burden on social assistance 8. The regulations SI 2006/1003 introduce the right of EU nationals to work in the UK subject to certain criteria. Different criteria apply to citizens of the old EU countries and those of the new EU8 states. Citizens of the old EU countries obtain the right to reside if they are a worker; a job-seeker; self-sufficient; selfemployed; a student; or a family member of any of these classes. Citizens of the new EU8 states need to be a worker (and registered on the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS)); self-employed; or self-sufficient, in order to have the right to reside. Different regulations govern access to benefits in the UK. For EU8 nationals, they must be in work and registered on the WRS in order to claim in-work benefits, such as Housing Benefit. EU8 nationals who have worked and have been registered on the WRS for 12 months can assume the same rights and entitlements as pre-eu enlargement EEA nationals. In England, there are also 6 Available from: 7 Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and the UK; plus Switzerland which, although not a member of the EEA, has signed an agreement allowing its citizens the same rights as EEA nationals

15 regulations governing access to social housing and homelessness assistance. In Scotland, no such regulations exist. The Scottish Executive s Code of Guidance The Scottish Executive s Code of Guidance sets out that all EU8 migrants have the same entitlements to housing and homelessness assistance as other EEA applicants, due to the membership of EU8 states to the European Charter on Social and Medical Assistance (ECSMA) 9 and the Council of Europe Social Charter (CESC) 10. The Home Office is currently working to address the discrepancy between eligibility for benefits, which is restricted to certain categories of EU8 nationals (as defined above); and eligibility for social housing and homelessness assistance, which is not restricted. This leads to a situation in which some EU8 nationals can be eligible for housing and homelessness assistance, but not have the means to pay for it. The City of Edinburgh Council interpretation The City of Edinburgh Council has sought legal advice on the duties owed to homeless applicants from EU8 states. This advice corresponds with the legal advice received by Glasgow City Council. COSLA has subsequently consulted with both of these councils to formulate a position pertaining to local authorities across Scotland. The legal opinion given to the City of Edinburgh Council is that local authorities have a legal duty to provide homelessness assistance and housing assistance to EU8 migrants who are economically active. The definition of economically active for an EU8 applicant is narrower than for other EEA applicants, due to the UK s transitional regulations 11. EU8 migrants who experience homelessness and are not working With some local authorities adopting the position taken by the City of Edinburgh Council, this presents a new question: what happens to those EU8 migrants who find themselves homeless, but are not entitled to assistance and are not working? This research provides information about the new EU8 community in the City of Edinburgh the vast majority of whom are economically active. However, the difference of opinion in interpretation of the Scottish Executive s Code of Guidance is important. It has an impact on how local authorities discharge duties for the very small minority of EU8 migrants who are homeless and not working. In Edinburgh, this group are accessing emergency homelessness accommodation but do not qualify for homelessness assistance. 2.5 How the research will be used It is anticipated that this research will be useful in a number of ways: Inform policy and community planning mechanisms in the City of Edinburgh 9 Available from: 10 Available from: 11 See appendix (i) 14

16 Provide a basis for a training programme for agencies in contact with EU8 migrants Offer a greater understanding of how to manage issues of destitution with the small minority of EU8 migrants Offer a framework for other local authorities wishing to undertake similar studies in their own areas relating to the impact of EU8 migrants 15

17 3 Literature Review 3.1 Introduction There has been a difficulty in locating research pertinent to this study as there are few comparable studies covering the subject matter. Indeed, there is an evident paucity of research on migration and homelessness in Europe 12. Therefore, the research reviewed covers a range of related subjects as follows: Research about immigration trends in Europe and the impact of this immigration on homelessness services An assessment of information relating to the scale of migration in the UK; the level and type of work undertaken by migrants; and experiences of homelessness services in working with migrants Research into migration to Scotland and, in particular, integration of migrants into existing communities Specific research about the scale of migration to Edinburgh and the Lothians and features of the EU8 community 3.2 The European picture: Immigration and homelessness The literature that is available on EU8 immigration focuses on the social and demographic impact of immigration from third country nationals e.g. people seeking asylum into the varying EU member states. The emphasis is on the social and legislative environments of each individual member state. Crucially, there is very little literature available which specifically reflects the impact of EU enlargement and, following from this, the freedom of movement across the EEA and free access to the labour market in the United Kingdom along with the accompanying rights although this is not surprising, given that EU enlargement has taken place relatively recently. There is also some literature available relating to homelessness and social inclusion but, again, this is not specific to EU enlargement. Immigration The literature which looks at the EU-wide picture indicates that immigration will continue to increase throughout Europe, both from outwith the EU and as a result of EU enlargement. Overall, the trend in all countries is towards increased immigration from outside Europe with a growing number of migrants from poor countries 13. It is recognised by the European Commission to the Council that immigration will be a permanent part of Europe s future 14. Across Europe, the profile of immigrants is made up of economic migrants, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, in varying proportions. At an EU 12 Edgar, B. Doherty, J. and Meert, H. (2004) Immigration and Homelessness in Europe, Bristol: Policy Press, p.6 13 ibid, p.3 14 Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on a community immigration policy (COM (2000) 757) Brussels: European Commission 16

18 level, there is increasing recognition of the substantial impact that immigration is having on the social and demographic profile of all EU member states. This has led to a heightened policy focus on the integration and social inclusion of migrants. The European Community has only recently assumed competence for immigration and asylum, through the Treaty of Amsterdam which came into force in The ongoing development of a common EU policy focuses on issues such as the management of migration flows and the widening of the rights and entitlements of migrants through a more vigorous integration policy 16. A central imperative in EU immigration policy is social integration. A key message is that equality of access to housing and other services, as well as employment, is crucial to the social inclusion of migrant communities. Homelessness The European Observatory on Homelessness produced a report on homelessness in The main concern raised by the 15 correspondents was the increased vulnerability that migrants have to poverty, racism and social marginalisation. A further concern raised was that homelessness services can become a safety net for migrants who become destitute. This is because migrant admission policies are generally not coordinated with strategies to facilitate social integration. Further, these policies often do not coincide with national policies which dictate the categories of eligibility to key services and social protection. Therefore, homelessness services do not necessarily have the resources or expertise to fulfil this safety net role adequately. 3.3 UK literature: Scale of migration; work; and evidence of impact of migration on homelessness services Scale of migration Statistical information which indicates the scale of EU8 migration can be found from two UK government sources: first, the Accession Monitoring report, produced by the Home Office, Department of Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Communities and Local Government 18. This provides data on those EU8 migrants who registered with the Worker Registration Scheme from the beginning of their membership of EU until the end of June In total, there were 447,000 applicants; 82% of these were aged between 18 and % of EU8 migrants were in full time employment. Second, National Insurance Number (NINo) Allocation records, available from the Department of Work and Pensions, indicate the scale of migration: in Scotland, there were 34,931 NINo registrations by EU8 nationals between April 2004 and March Information from both these sources will be used in chapter 5 in more detail. 15 The Treaty of Amsterdam (1997) Brussels: EC available from: 16 Bulletin EU (III (18)) (1999) Fair treatment of third country nationals, available from: 17 Edgar, B. Doherty, J. and Meert, H. (2002) Transnational report: access to housing Bristol: Policy Press 18 Accession Monitoring Report May 2004 September 2006, available from: 17

19 Work There are other sources of qualitative research which indicate patterns in work by EU8 migrants: a) EU8 migrants are predominantly employed low wage sectors - most typically agriculture and hospitality and catering. b) A tendency by migrants to work in jobs well below their educational and skill levels. Research also showed that migrants accepted this because the wages they were earning in the UK were significantly higher than wages in their own countries. c) The reason for EU8 national coming to the UK generally is to look for work due to high levels of unemployment in countries of origin. There are no trends to suggest either that most are staying or most are leaving the UK. d) EU8 nationals continue to come to the UK to work, contributing to the success of the UK economy, whilst making very few demands of the UK s welfare system 19. Evidence of impact of migration on homelessness services Whilst EU8 nationals have access to the UK s labour market, their eligibility for welfare benefits and social assistance (such as homelessness assistance) is limited by transitional regulations. In short, until an EU8 national has completed an unbroken year in employment whilst registered with the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS), there is no entitlement welfare benefits other than those understood as in-work benefits. This leaves a proportion of EU8 migrants, primarily those who are unable to find employment, vulnerable to destitution. Research undertaken concurrently with our study by the Homelessness Agency Homeless Link focuses precisely on this group in London 20. The study shows that a small but significant proportion of migrants from the EU8 countries are ending up homeless and destitute in London. 43 frontline London homelessness services were surveyed, including day centres, outreach teams and free night shelters. Hostels, where a bed space is generally dependent on eligibility for housing benefit, were not included. The survey indicated that 15% of the 4,300 individuals using these services were EU8 nationals. Almost two-thirds of this group were unemployed, and a further third had only managed to secure irregular work. Of those employed, only one in eight had registered with the WRS. Services were asked about the support needs they 19 Anderson, B. et al (2006) Fair enough? Central and East European Migrants in Low Wage Employment in the UK/CRONEM research, commissioned by BBC Newsnight/The Tayside Migrant Labour Population: Scale, Impacts and Experiences 20 Homeless Link (2006) A8 nationals in London homelessness services, executive summary available from: w%20res.pdf 18

20 had identified amongst their EU8 clients. A majority of services found that EU8 nationals faced problems with accommodation, employment, language difficulties and lack of knowledge of the UK system. A small number of services saw EU8 nationals with support needs normally associated with rough sleeping, such as drug or alcohol misuse or mental and physical health problems. Significantly, two distinct groups of EU8 nationals who had used frontline homelessness services emerge from the London research: Those relatively new to the street, who have minimal support needs. Individuals within this group need short-term help to find a job and a place to live A second, smaller group, who have more serious support needs or multiple needs often associated with longer-term rough sleeping The study concludes that these groups would benefit from the range of services offered by homelessness agencies, but their lack of recourse to public funds makes accessing this support virtually impossible. The risk identified is that over time and without effective interventions their problems are likely to get worse. The Scottish Council for Single Homeless (SCSH) undertook research into EU8 migrants and their experience of homelessness in Scotland during The research aimed to provide a better understanding of the issues facing local authorities with regard to providing housing and homelessness services to EU8 migrant workers. The research showed that Scottish local authorities had seen a significant increase in homeless applications from EU8 migrant workers in early The study concludes that there has been some confusion regarding the duties of local authorities towards EU8 migrants who experience homelessness, particularly surrounding entitlements to welfare benefits. This issue has recently been addressed by the City of Edinburgh Council in its interpretation of the Scottish Executive s Code of Guidance (see above). 3.4 Research relating to Scotland Research has tended to focus on labour market issues associated with EU8 migrants. As with the UK-wide research, similar themes emerge relating to type of work and reasons for migration. However, some useful additional points are made which raise questions about how successfully EU8 migrants are integrated into the communities to which they move 22. Employers seem to value the commitment of migrant workers, their flexibility and their quality of work, in some cases contrasting this with the performance of local workers. This may have the potential to cause friction between those in the existing labour market and those emigrating from EU8 countries. However, there is also evidence to suggest that the increase in the migrant worker 21 Scottish Council for Single Homeless (2006) A8 migrant workers and their experience of homelessness in Scotland, executive summary available from: 22 UHI Policy Web and National Centre for Migration Studies (2005) Migrant Workers in Highlands and Islands, Research report on behalf of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, available from: 19

21 population does not seem to have reduced employment opportunities locally and that migrant workers are generally well-integrated into local communities 23. Issues relating to English language skills were also raised and are comparable with this study. It is difficult for migrant workers to access interpretation and translation facilities: this creates barriers for migrants to accessing facilities and services, such as establishing a bank account, identifying accommodation, and accessing general information and advice. Issues with language may also explain why migrants are drawn to low-paid, low-skilled jobs which do not depend upon speaking or writing in English. These concerns about language are echoed within this study. A coordinated approach by a range of agencies was recommended to address existing and emerging needs of migrant workers. This included cooperation between employers and various statutory and voluntary services. This raises questions about what might be provided for EU8 migrants in order to ensure integration and access to services such as language support, and web- or paperbased information in all EU8 languages. There have also been some examples of welcome packs and other information for EU8 migrants in local authority areas, such as Aberdeen and Glasgow. 3.5 Scale and type of migration to Edinburgh Throughout this research, there has been considerable difficulty in making an accurate assessment of the level of migration into Edinburgh. DWP and NINo data does give an indication. It is difficult to identify migration flows due to lack of data on the numbers of migrants arriving and, crucially, leaving the UK, as highlighted by Lothian Labour Market Unit s 2006 study 24. This study also indicates that in 2004/5 the City of Edinburgh absorbed more than a quarter of all migrants coming to Scotland; and that the country most represented in this group was Poland. A more detailed assessment of numbers of EU8 migrants in Edinburgh can be found in the community profile (section 5). Literature suggests that, throughout the European Union, there are wide variations in the social profiles and circumstances of migrant communities 25. It could be argued that the EU8 migrant community in Edinburgh is characterised by an overwhelmingly high proportion of economically active educated and skilled young people who, for the most part, have eligibility for the services that they require. 3.6 Conclusions Likely future trends It seems likely that immigration will continue to increase throughout the EU, both from outwith the EU and as a result of EU enlargement. It also seems 23 The Tayside Migrant Labour Population: Scale, Impacts and Experiences 24 Lothian Labour Market Unit (2006) Attracting Talent: Overseas Workers in Edinburgh and Lothian 25 Salt, J. (1997) Current trends in international migration in Europe, Strasbourg: Council of Europe 20

22 likely that the EU will continue with the development of common policy on the management of migration flows and increased integration of migrants to communities. If this is the case, there may be difficulties in coinciding national policies with EU regulations. Currently the UK economy is buoyant, with very low unemployment. Whilst there are vacancies, particularly those which are not dependent on good English language skills, then it seems likely that migration will continue to occur. Levels of migration may be affected by a number of issues: A reduction in the value of UK currency against those currencies of EU8 countries meaning that the value of UK wages would drop or rise still further, in relative terms. Levels of vacancies and sectors in which vacancies occur Unemployment rates in EU8 countries The opening up of labour markets in other EU member states to EU8 nationals Further EU enlargement (Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in January 2007, but with significant restrictions on accessing the UK s labour market) Edinburgh appears to have proven attractive so far and this is likely to continue to be the case if the economy continues to grow. It is important to keep in mind that EU8 nationals, if working legally in the UK, are contributing to the economy through National Insurance and taxes and, as such, are able to offer considerable net benefit. Through increased migration, it is possible that friction may arise between the existing work force and new migrants. This may become more problematic if language barriers are not addressed. A significant proportion of EU8 migrants are young people (aged 18-34). If the tendency is for young migrants to stay in the UK, there is also the chance of this group further integrating having families and accessing a wider range of services as a result. If there is a change in interpretation of the current legal position taken by local authorities on access to housing assistance by EU8 migrants who are not economically active, there could be an increase in more vulnerable people both migrating to the UK and accessing services. If this is the case, then additional housing resettlement and support services will be required to meet these needs; this is made more complex through issues of language. If the current legal position is maintained, there is the possibility of an increasingly vulnerable and marginalized group of EU8 migrants remaining in frontline homelessness services. The need for specific research about impact on key services Useful research has already taken place on the impact of migrants from overseas on the UK economy and labour market. This research suggests that migration is seen as being almost entirely positive, albeit with some issues raised about a mismatch between educational attainment and type of work, as well as issues about language acting as a barrier to reaching full earning power. However, with the exception of the Scottish Council for Single Homeless s report, this existing research does not give detailed information about the impact of this group on 21

23 local public service provision. The statistical data is a very valuable source to gauge numbers of EU8 migrants and gives some demographic information. However, this does not give a complete picture as it is unclear at this time what proportion of EU8 migrants have applied for National Insurance numbers or the Worker Registration Scheme. Therefore, the remit of the Edinburgh-based research into impact on services is to address an information need largely not yet met by existing research. It is anticipated that other local authority areas may wish to undertake similar studies in their areas to assess impact on services locally. 22

24 4 Methodology 4.1 The steering group and action research This study has been overseen by a steering group, comprised of a range of partners with different perspectives and areas of expertise. The group met regularly throughout the project and was comprised of representatives from: Scottish Government Homelessness Division Scottish Government Social Research The City of Edinburgh Council Housing Department (now Services for Communities) Edinburgh Cyrenians Foursquare (Cowgate Centre) Lothian and Borders Police Scottish Council for Single Homeless The group was selected to offer a breadth of experience and points of view; to provide research support; to ensure accessibility to a wide range of EU8 migrants; and to enable access to and information from relevant agencies. It was established that an action research approach be taken throughout the duration of this study. As experience of EU8 migrants is still emerging, with limited knowledge available 26, it was acknowledged that new information was likely to emerge during the period of the study. This was particularly expected to be the case for services, which are accumulating experience, knowledge and expertise all the time. It was agreed that it would be useful to include this accumulated knowledge to give the most complete picture possible of the impact of EU8 migrants on key services. 4.2 Information gathered for the study Community profile of EU8 migrants Analysis of official data sources National Insurance Number Registration data and data from the Worker Registration Scheme have given a useful starting point for identifying the numbers of people who have migrated to Edinburgh and are working in legitimate settings. However, no statistical sources can provide an exact figure for in-migration into Edinburgh. In addition, existing statistical sources do not allow for migrants moving from original destinations to new ones in the UK, nor for migrants returning to their country of origin after a short period. They also do not take into account those who have never applied for a NINo or registered with the WRS. These issues are explored in more detail in section Edgar et al. Immigration and Homelessnes, p.6 23

25 Use of a questionnaire with a small sample group of 67 (referred to as Group A ) to gather information, covering the following issues: General information about EU8 migrants (demographic data; reason for coming to Edinburgh; intended length of stay in Edinburgh; level of educational achievement) Employment issues for those who are employed Employment issues for those who are unemployed Housing issues Health and well-being Other issues, including: - expectations and experiences of life in Edinburgh - experience of discrimination - opinion of the level of service from agencies in Edinburgh - ways of disseminating information on rights, entitlement to services and obligations of EU8 migrant workers Five volunteers from the EU8 countries were identified to pilot the questionnaire as interviewees, then to use their social networks in a snowballing process to access respondents from EU8 countries. It was recognised that this method could carry the likelihood of accessing respondents who are alike in characteristics to the original group of volunteers. However, the group was selected to cover a mix of age, gender, background, country of origin and occupation, to ameliorate this concern. In order to ensure the quality of information obtained (especially from migrants with poor English language skills) it was important that volunteers: Had a good level of English Were trained to ensure that the meaning of questions were understood; and that objectivity was maintained when collecting data, particularly where translations of questions and transcription of answers was required Obtained information from a wide variety of EU8 migrants rather than rely on those in their immediate social networks A 5 incentive voucher was given to each respondent. The resulting sample reflected a wide range of age, nationalities, family composition and gender. In addition, it was possible to draw information from those who did not speak English well. Volunteers were recruited via a wide-ranging network through representatives at the New Member States Migrant Forum and were briefed to approach people from beyond their immediate social networks, for example pursuing contacts through the workplace. Comparisons were made between other studies (as outlined in the literature review) and data from questionnaire responses. The research allows us to make some observations about the overall EU8 migrant population in Edinburgh. However, given the sampling method used, it cannot be regarded as representative of the wider community; rather, it offers an indicative insight into the experiences of EU8 migrants. In many though not all respects, characteristics between our sample and information from other sources correspond. Some consideration was given to triangulating this data with other 24