Integration is crucial – for the wellbeing of individual migrants and their families, and as an important part of equipping the UK to cope with migration levels that are likely to remain high. But while immigration policy has risen up the political agenda, integration policy has lagged behind.
While integration often happens without intervention from the state, there is a role for policy, particularly with respect to groups and communities who are at risk of being left behind. Current UK policy is failing both migrant groups with less successful integration trajectories and communities where integration is not working, and it is not learning lessons from groups and communities where integration has been successful.