People from increasingly diverse communities are settling in the United Kingdom, and in Southampton we have many 'new' communities. People moving to the city come from a variety of countries and for various reasons. Southampton has always been a city with much diversity with people coming to live here historically because of the sea trade.
We are committed to making sure all communities feel welcome in Southampton and help them integrate locally. We work with a variety of communities in the city from residents associations who are based geographical to communities of interest ie women and BME who work together because of similar interests and beliefs.
Southampton welcomes communities from many European countries who can live and work in the UK without needing to apply to the Home Office including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovenia. People wishing to live in the UK from outside allowed countries because they fear persecution in their country of origin have to apply to the Home Office as an asylum seeker. Once an asylum application has been accepted as genuine they are given refugee status. National studies have shown that migrants coming to the UK bring significant advantages.
Southampton City Council
