World Immigration News

(The Guardian)Revealed: Brexit voting areas have seen faster growth in foreign workers since EU referendum

Release Date: 2026-06-20
Media: The Guardian
Summary: A Guardian analysis found that UK areas which strongly supported Brexit have experienced faster relative growth in foreign workers since the 2016 referendum, even though many voters expected immigration to decrease. Because these areas previously had fewer migrant workers, immigration has become more visible in local communities despite larger absolute numbers remaining concentrated in major cities.

The study also found that many Leave-voting areas became relatively more deprived between 2015 and 2025, with weaker outcomes in health, housing, public services, and crime indicators. In contrast, many Remain-voting areas, such as Bristol and Cambridge, showed greater improvement. However, experts caution against attributing these trends solely to Brexit or immigration, noting that long-standing economic weaknesses, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and broader industrial decline have also played significant roles. Research generally suggests that immigration has had only limited effects on the wages and employment prospects of UK-born workers.
Tags: United Kingdom

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