Diversity in the UK

In 2017, the UK Prime Minister commissioned a Race Disparity Audit with results published on the Ethnicity Facts & Figures website: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk

In 2018 about 13.8% of the UK population was from a minority ethnic background with London having 40% of its population from the Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.

According to the 2011 Census, the total population of England and Wales was 56.1 million:

86.0% of the population is White
7.5% of the population is made up Asian ethnic groups
3.3% of the population is made of  Black ethnic groups
2.2% of the population is made up of Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups
1.0% of the population is made up of Other ethnic groups

The Asian ethnic group population of 4,213,531 (7.5%) is broken down as follows:

Indian - 1,412,958 (2.5%);
Pakistani - 1,124,511 (2.0%)
Asian other - 835,720 (1.5%)
Bangladeshi - 447,201 (0.8%)
Chinese - 393,141 (0.7%)

The Black ethnic group population 1,864,890 (3.3%) is broken down as follows:

Black African - 989,628 (1.8%)
Black Caribbean - 594,825 (1.1%)
Black other - 280,437 (0.5%)

The Mixed/Multiple ethnic groups population of 1,224,400 (2.2%) is broken down as follows:

Mixed White/Asian - 341,727 (0.6%)
Mixed White/Black Caribbean - 426,715 (0.8%)
Mixed White/Black African - 165,974 (0.3%)
Mixed other - 289,984 (0.5%)

Diversity in the UK: BAME individuals in politics & local government

  • 8% of MPs are Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (as of 1st May 2019)
  • 5.8% of Members of the House of Lords are Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (as of 1st May 2019)
  • 14% of local councillors are BAME; 1,235 out of 7,306 Councillors in 123 local authorities in England (according to the OBV BAME Local Political Representation Audit 2019)
  • 28% of the Members of the London Assembly are BAME

Click here to read more about Diversity UK.

* Information based on published reports and ONS statistics where available.

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