Seven per cent of town’s population born overseas
THE first release of the latest Census statistics revealed little that was unexpected about Barnsley’s growing population.
But further releases later this year, which cover aspects such as migration, ethnic group, and national identity, are expected to be more illuminating.
In projections released in 2020, Office for National Statistics researchers slightly over-egged the current population of Barnsley at 248,071 compared to the Census figure of 244,600.
The number of over-65s – 47,700 – is also slightly lower than the estimate of 48,660, as are the proportion of males and females which are 120,300 and 124,300 compared to 122,409 and 125,662 respectively.
The Census is carried out every ten years and provides the most reliable account of demographics.
It will be helpful considering the impact Covid-19 has had on migration data collection – suspending the International Passenger Survey, the main tool for measuring emigration and immigration typically through face-to-face interactions at ports and airports.
The issuing of National Insurance numbers was also interrupted by Covid, with new registrations for EU citizens suspended.
A report from Migration Yorkshire, which covers up to 2020, shows net international migration into Barnsley has slowed significantly since a spike in 2015 – the year of the Syrian refugee crisis and shortly before the Brexit referendum – when around 1,100 migrants came into the borough.
In 2019, around 450 international migrants were recorded.
Coun David Greenhough, vice-chair of the award-winning Penistone Refugee Group – which last year supported the arrival of two families of Afghan refugees after the Taliban’s takeover – said: “There’s no question Brexit has played its part.
“I speak to people from all sorts of European nationalities, and some who’ve worked here who have gone back home have quite simply said they don’t feel as though they’re valued any more.
“That’s then leaving some skills shortages in a lot of areas.
“That skills shortage is quite widespread, from big professional areas, all the way to warehouses in Barnsley.”
The report said seven per cent of the population was born outside the UK, compared to the regional average of ten per cent – with three-quarters from EU countries.
National Insurance figures from 2019 show 600 new registrations for Romanians and 300 for Poland, with Iranians, Bulgarians, and those from Italy, Iraq, India and China in much smaller numbers.
Percentages of children born to non-UK-born mothers have remained significantly lower than elsewhere in Yorkshire and the Humber, and while on an upward trajectory the rate fell slightly in 2019 to 12 per cent of all births.
Provisional figures obtained by the Chronicle from the upcoming Census show there are 3,280 in Barnsley whose country of birth was given as Poland – around half of Doncaster’s 6,640 and more than double Rotherham’s 1,520, but close to Sheffield’s 3,660.
There are also 3,530 people who were born in Romania – much higher than Rotherham’s 770 and Sheffield’s 1,810 but lower than Doncaster’s 5,750 – according to the figures, which may be adjusted slightly before release.
There are 620 Latvians, 340 Lithuanians, and in smaller numbers people from Hungary (170), Russia (100), Slovakia (70), Moldova (50), Ukraine (40), and Estonia
(20).
Of the upcoming release, Coun Greenhough said: “I’m hoping it shows Barnsley is embracing people from different cultures.
“You go to the hospital, and you’ve got multiple nationalities treating Barnsley people, and that’s playing a vital role in our community.
“Without those people, Barnsley Hospital would grind to a standstill.
“That’s the kind of value we need to put on these immigration figures.
“Regardless of where people are from, as soon as they’re granted their status they actively go and get a job straight away.
“It’s frustrating for a lot of them trapped in the asylum seeking system (which makes claimants wait up to 12 months or more before they can work).
“They’d rather have a hand up than a hand out.
“It’s ridiculous that we’ve got professional people sat at home, sometimes for years at a time, who could be adding to Barnsley’s economy no end.
“These people would be earning a wage, paying tax, and helping the people of Barnsley along the way yet they are restricted from getting employment.”