Ethnic insights

(ie facts and opinions) about the

Poles in the UK –

report prepared by Think Big Comms Ltd

agency

26th September 2013, St Neots

Facts

Poles in numbers

7,5 million (13%) of the UK’s population are immigrants.

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

2011

2004

According to the last official census data there are almost 600,000 Poles in England and Wales, but unofficially it is estimated that there is approx. 1milion Poles in the whole UK.

Polish women gave birth to almost 21,000 children in 2011. Each day 57 Polish babies are born.

100,000,000

Poles

Poles in numbers

Polish nationals in Britain are mostly young people – 87% of them are 20 – 39 years old. Most (77%) of Poles are

either married or in a relationship.

0 20 40 60

Widowed

Divorced

Single

In a relantionship

Married

There are slightly more men than women.

Polish language

Polish is the second most spoken language in Britain. There are more Poles than Welsh speakers. The highest populated cities

outside the capital are: • Birmingham,

• Southampton, • Slough, • Luton, • Leeds,

• Peterborough, • Nottingham, • Manchester,

• Leicester, • Coventry.

Approx. 600,000 Polish speakers live in London. The main hubs are Ealing, Acton, Hammersmith, Haringey, Brent, Hounslow, Waltham Forest and Barnet.

Why Poles settle in the UK?

British National Minimum Wage is three times bigger than in Poland

Brits £6,31

Poles

£2

Britain's GDP is five times bigger than Polish.

Over £3 billion was sent to Poland from the UK in 2011.

Most Poles left home because of

economical reasons (money and career)

Career & Business

The majority of Poles are employed in the blue collar sector (52.8%) – mainly in hospitality, factories, cleaning or customer services.

0 20 40 60

Pensioner

Unemployed

Student

Self-Employed

White collar

Blue collar

Poles contribute £4bn per year to the British

economy.

Approx. 60,000 businesses have been established by the Poles since 2004. The most popular types of businesses are: • shops; • beauty and hair salons; • construction companies; • and transportation firms. The most successful businesses are private surgeries and bakeries, some with a turnover of over £2-3 million net.

Polish workers

84.6% of Poles aged 16 to 64

were in employment, compared

with a rate of 70.4% for the UK as

a whole.

Employed

Unemployed

Other

£16,000 - £30,000

NMW or less

£30,000 - £50,000

over £50,000

Majority of UK Poles earn between £16k – 30k per year.

Education

40% of Poles speak at least one foreign language, most commonly English or German. 72% regards their English skills as either intermediate or fluent.

Over 50% of Poles have college or university degree and many (43.3%) have obtained an equivalent of A-Levels after passing the matura exam. On top of that, approx. 6,000 Poles study in the UK at the moment.

Over 100 Polish Saturdays

schools operate

in the UK.

Polish media in Britain

Polish media landscape is well developed. There is:

• Approx. 70 general news and thematic

websites (the biggest one - Emito,

Londynek, Moja Wyspa);

•Approx. 20 papers and magazines;

mostly weeklies and monthlies (the

biggest one: Polish Express, Panorama,

Cooltura and Goniec Polski);

• and a few radio stations, for example

PRL24.

Did you know that Poles living abroad have brought few hundred thousands of satellite television’ decoders with themselves?

Only less than 15% of Poles consume British media.

Religion & culture

There are 55 Polish Roman Catholic churches across the UK. In London alone, there are 10 in Balham and Ealing area only.

British and Polish venues in the most populated cities across the UK regularly host and sell-out Polish concerts, stand up comedy shows, theatre shows and even photo exhibitions. The most popular gigs gather up to 3,000 people. The biggest Polish events are: Goniec Polish Festival, Play Poland Film Festival, Kinoteka, Kult concert, and Children's Day in Laxton Hall.

Poles spend their free time in hundreds of Polish-owned pubs ond restaurants.

Polish men living in the UK think of themselves as chivalrous and romantic. Women certainly shouldn’t expect to open any doors themselves and will very likely receive flowers from any suitors. Younger man who left Poland tend to shake rather than kiss a woman's hand when they meet in contrary to their older generation.

Love and sex life

Premarital sex is much more common among Poles who live in the UK than among their counterparts who are in Poland. In both cases parents are often unhappy when their offspring move in with their partners before getting married.

Despite living in the UK, Poles share same approach towards abortions which are illegal in homeland(apart from in rape cases or for health reasons). The homophobia is still a problem: and abusive comments about gay people are heard even in the Polish parliament.

Food

Top Polish dishes are: • zurek – soup made of rye flour, mixed with bits of kielbasa (sausage) and hard-boiled egg floating on the bottom; • pierogi (ravioli) arguably the best variety being stuffed with minced cabbage and wild mushrooms; • golabki - staffed cabbage with rice and meat.

Polish food is underrated gem of European cuisine therefore UK Poles cannot live without the classic and delicious dishes from their country.

Polish fast food of choice is zapiekanka, a baguette topped with melted cheese and mushrooms and smothered in ketchup. Vodka is not the dominant drink, unless during families parties. Its place has been taken by excellent Polish beers.

Shopping

Poles prefer to prepare meals from scratch, they do not buy ready meals often. They rely on brands known from their home country or

recommended by friends.

The most popular high street supermarkets among Poles are:

Polish shops can be found in almost any British town. It is estimated that in the whole UK 1,500 shops have Polish owners. Only in London there is over 150 Polish groceries.

Transport

The most popular airline is Ryanair that served 1.22 million Poles in Q1 2013. Another budget airline – Wizz Air, served over 846,000 passengers in this period.

There are several bus companies that transport over 10,000 Poles each month to and from the UK.

Families often choose cars to travel back to Poland for Christmas, Easter and summer.

Opinions

Prejudices vs. facts

Heavy drinking Poles? As the rest of the world think that Poles are exceptional vodka-lovers, stats say something different. An average Pole drank 13.3 litres of alcohol. This puts Poles just above the European average. Poles drink slightly more than Germans (12.8 litres), almost the same as the English (13.4 litres), and less than the Irish (14.4 litres).

Half of the alcohol drunk in Poland is consumed by just 7% of drinkers. Research from the mid 90s showed that poorly educated men, mostly farmers and unskilled labourers, drink the most.

Prejudices vs. facts

Catholic zealots?

Poles are indeed Catholic but they often disagree with the church. According to a survey from 2012, 93% of Poles declare themselves Catholic, however around 54% say they attend mass each Sunday while only 9% say they are "strong believers".

Clearly Poles are still very conservative. In a survey carried out in summer 2013, 75% of Poles do not support the right to abortion and just third of Poles would like to legitimate homosexual partnerships.

Prejudices vs. facts?

Pessimists but hospitable?

The older part of Polish society grew up and lived under a communist system. The continuous lack of basic goods and the absurdity of everyday life were exhausting. The centuries of oppression and foreign rule caused the common view about persistent lack of improvement, so Poles complain.

Be warned that if you ask a Pole how they are, they will probably tell you the truth. The classic Polish answer to "How are you?" is Stara bieda which literally means "old poverty"...

On the other hand, Poles always can laugh at themselves and have been known for the brilliant comedies and cabarets. Poles are generous and hospitable and proud of their country surviving against the odds.

Prejudices vs. facts

Power of the labour market

Poles are perceived as an efficient, hardworking and cheaper labour. They do job with a smile without drinking gallons of tea during working hours and are always happy to work overtime.

Polish plumber myth spread across the Europe, however not all Poles are physical workers. Among Poles, it is rather a common view that it is because they are so good at what they do the British are afraid that Poles steal their job. These concerns are heard not only in the neighbour’ house but also in the political corridors and media.

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Source

• A quarter of all babies born in the UK are the children of immigrants as mothers from Poland, India and Pakistan give birth in record numbers, Daily Mail 2012 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223009/A-quarter-babies-born-UK-children-immigrants-mothers-Poland-India-Pakistan-birth-record-numbers.html#ixzz2fqPHAS00, 23.09.2013 • About Polish Community in the United Kingdom, Emito http://www.emito.net/about?info=about_uk_s_polish_community, 24.09.2013 • Borger J., Pidd H., Poland at a glance, The Guardian 20111, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/04/new-europe-poland-overview, 24.09.2013 • CBOS potwierdza. Zdecydowana większość Polaków uznaje się za katolików, W Polityce 2012, http://wpolityce.pl/wydarzenia/26517-cbos-potwierdza-zdecydowana-wiekszosc-polakow-uznaje-sie-za-katolikow, 24.09.2013 • Census: Maps show migration trends, BBC 2012, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20713380, 23.09.2013 •Exploding the myth of the Polish plumber, Swissinfo, http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/archive/Exploding_the_myth_of_the_Polish_plumber.html?cid=4671366, 24.09.2013 • H.Pidd, Poland: Immigration to UK is back for good life despite economic crisis, The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/27/poland-immigration-uk-economic-crisis 24.09.2013 • Hourly Rate for Country: United Kingdom, PayScal, http://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Country=United_Kingdom/Hourly_Rate#by_Job, 23.09.2013 • ISKK: Religijność Polaków pozostaje bez zmian, Onet 2013, http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/iskk-religijnosc-polakow-pozostaje-bez-zmian/xgzjt, 24.09.2013

Source

• Jampr, Generous Poles Send £3 billion Home a Year, My New Desk 2012, http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/view/pressrelease/generous-poles-send-ps3billion-home-a-year-794440 • Exploding the myth of the Polish plumber, Swissinfo, http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/archive/Exploding_the_myth_of_the_Polish_plumber.html?cid=4671366, 24.09.2013 • H.Pidd, Poland: Immigration to UK is back for good life despite economic crisis, The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/27/poland-immigration-uk-economic-crisis 24.09.2013 • Hourly Rate for Country: United Kingdom, PayScal, http://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Country=United_Kingdom/Hourly_Rate#by_Job, 23.09.2013 • ISKK: Religijność Polaków pozostaje bez zmian, Onet 2013, http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/iskk-religijnosc-polakow-pozostaje-bez-zmian/xgzjt, 24.09.2013 • Jampr, Generous Poles Send £3 billion Home a Year, My New Desk 2012, http://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/view/pressrelease/generous-poles-send-ps3billion-home-a-year-794440 • Leszczynski A., Polish stereotypes: hard-drinking Catholic zealots? Nie!, The Guardian 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/26/polish-stereotypes-hard-drinking-catholics, 24.09.2013 • Main languages other than English in the UK, http://i4.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article1565369.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/ipad-census-graphic-1565369.jpg, 24.09.2013 • Office for National Statistic, 2011 Census for England and Wales, 2011 Census for England and Wales http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/index.html, 24.09.2013

Source

• Po co Polacy przyjeżdżają na Wyspy?, Londynek 2013, http://londynek.net/wiadomosci/article?jdnews_id=16123, 24.09.2013 • Polacy o homoseksualizmie: to odstępstwo od normy. Sondaż CBOS, WP 2013, http://wiadomosci.wp.pl/kat,1342,title,Polacy-o-homoseksualizmie-to-odstepstwo-od-normy-Sondaz-CBOS,wid,15368593,wiadomosc.html?ticaid=1113e1, 24.09.2013 • Polacy: aborcja jest złem, Wprost 2013, http://www.wprost.pl/ar/412688/Polacy-aborcja-jest-zlem/, 24.09.2013 • Poland’s British baby boom, New Poland Express 2012, http://www.newpolandexpress.pl/polish_news_story-4361-poland%E2%80%99s_british_baby_boom.php, 23.09.2013 • Poles are sending home £3bn a year...and we pay them £4.5m a week in benefits, Daily Mail 2011, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017817/Poles-sending-home-3bn-year--pay-4-5m-week-benefits.html, 23.09.2013 • Polish demographic patterns, Polish Migrants UK, http://www.polish-migrants.co.uk/polish-demograpic-patterns-in-the-uk.html, 24.09.2013 • Polish emigrants sending more money home, The News 2013, http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/132914,Polish-emigrants-sending-more-money-home, 23.09.2013 • Polish media in UK, http://www.polishmedia.co.uk/ 24.09.2013 • Polish workers jobs done, Polish Migrants UK, http://www.polish-migrants.co.uk/polish-working-situation.html 24.09.2013 • Polacy: aborcja jest złem, Wprost 2013, http://www.wprost.pl/ar/412688/Polacy-aborcja-jest-zlem/, 24.09.2013 • Poland’s British baby boom, New Poland Express 2012, http://www.newpolandexpress.pl/polish_news_story-4361-poland%E2%80%99s_british_baby_boom.php, 23.09.2013

Source

• Poles are sending home £3bn a year...and we pay them £4.5m a week in benefits, Daily Mail 2011, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2017817/Poles-sending-home-3bn-year--pay-4-5m-week-benefits.html, 23.09.2013 • Polish demographic patterns, Polish Migrants UK, http://www.polish-migrants.co.uk/polish-demograpic-patterns-in-the-uk.html, 24.09.2013 • Polish emigrants sending more money home, The News 2013, http://www.thenews.pl/1/12/Artykul/132914,Polish-emigrants-sending-more-money-home, 23.09.2013 • Polish media in UK, http://www.polishmedia.co.uk/ 24.09.2013 • Polish workers jobs done, Polish Migrants UK, http://www.polish-migrants.co.uk/polish-working-situation.html 24.09.2013 • Polska Misja Katolicka w Anglii, http://www.pcmew.org, 24.09.2013 • S.Rainey, Why Poles love coming to Britain, The Telegraph 2013, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/9840059/Why-Poles-love-coming-to-Britain.html, 24.09.2013 • Smart Polak, http://www.smartpolak.co.uk/, 24.09.2013 • Stereotypes about Poles, Polish Language Blog, http://blogs.transparent.com/polish/stereotypes-about-poles/, 24.09.2013 • Stereotypes and prejudices, Stay Poland, http://www.staypoland.com/poland-stereotypes.htm, 24.09.2013 • Warsaw Business Journal, Ryanair becomes the most popular airline in Poland, 2013 http://www.wbj.pl/article-63205-ryanair-becomes-the-most-popular-airline-in-poland.html, 24.09.2013