Immigrants often accept accommodation rejected by other people, rather than taking much-needed housing from local residents. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report, which examined the housing experiences of 39 new immigrants in Sheffield, rejected claims that migrants were taking the best accommodation. Key findings revealed concentrations of new immigrants in particular areas were often the result of migrants moving into neighbourhoods that other households were leaving or avoiding. Addressing an East of England Development Agency conference this week on co-ordinating strategies on migrant workers, communities secretary, Hazel Blears, said migrant workers were vital to maintaining the success of the British economy. However, she added that associated migration challenges must be tackled. ‘We are working on better co-ordination within Whitehall in dealing with issues around migration, and I am clear there must be a role for local agencies in helping us get this right.' A joint Local Government Association and Equality and Human Rights Commission probe was launched earlier this month to investigate the impact of immigration on housing, and to tackle ‘contentious' claims from the far right that immigrants had taken homes form those born in the UK.
