Nearly 1 MILLION people in Britain can’t speak English, raising concerns over migrant integration
ALMOST one million people in England speak little to no English — causing concerns over migrants’ integration.
Official statistics show that ten per cent of residents born overseas struggle with the language.
The majority of migrants aged over 16 are able to speak English, with 51.6 per cent stating it as their main language, and 38.4 per cent saying they can speak it well.
But 8.6 per cent — equal to 794,332 people — “cannot speak English well”
And 1.4 per — equal to 137,876 — cannot speak it at all.
The startling figures have fuelled demands for stricter integration requirements.
READ MORE ON MIGRANTS
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “It beggars belief that so many people in the country can’t speak English. It shows Labour needs to get a grip on immigration, and fast.”
The data was disclosed to the Tories by the UK Statistics Authority last month using figures from the 2021 Census when the party was still in power.
Party leader Kemi Badenoch has previously criticised the record of successive governments on integration.
Some visas require proof of English language proficiency, including those coming on skilled worker or study tickets.
Most read in The Sun
It was recently revealed the Department for Work and Pensions spent £27million on translators in the past five years.
PM Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to slash net migration by requiring bosses to train more home-grown workers rather than hiring from abroad.
He is due to unveil his blueprint to cut arrival numbers in the coming months.
A Government spokesperson said: "The government engages regularly with faith communities to help foster strong working relationships.
"We are working in partnership with local authorities to understand the housing and integration needs of new arrivals and how we can work together to ensure positive outcomes in communities.”
100 FLAGS FOR TRUST
STAFF from more than 100 different countries are working at a single NHS trust.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust employs people from more than half of all the world’s countries.
Its employment chief Hannah Foster said: “By recruiting people from around the world, they can help us address long waits and meet patient needs.”
Since 2022, more than 60 per cent of direct care workers have been foreign-born.