Public understanding and attitudes to irregular migration in the UK

This report presents findings from the I-CLAIM public perceptions survey on irregular migration, conducted in the United Kingdom in February 2025 with a nationally representative sample of 1,147 adults. The survey provides new evidence on what the UK public knows about irregular migration, how they define it, and their attitudes toward irregular migrants, particularly in the context of work.

The results reveal major gaps in knowledge. Most respondents significantly overestimated the number of irregular migrants within the UK’s foreign-born population. While estimates suggest that irregular migrants account for around 10–13% of the foreign-born, over half of respondents placed the figure far higher. This pattern was particularly strong among older and right-leaning respondents, while younger adults and Labour or Liberal Democrats voters were more likely to underestimate the share.

When asked how irregular status arises, respondents strongly associated irregularity with unauthorised border crossings and pending asylum claims, reflecting dominant political and media narratives. Fewer recognised routine or administrative pathways to irregularity, such as overstaying a visa or losing lawful residence after changes in employment—processes that research shows are central to the production of irregular status in the UK.

Attitudes toward irregular migrants as workers were mixed. Respondents identified food delivery, construction, hospitality, cleaning, and care as the main sectors of irregular employment. In hiring experiments, they expressed pragmatic preferences: favouring candidates with longer UK residence, good recommendations, and family ties in the country, even if irregular. However, preferences were shaped by racialised hierarchies, with candidates from Nigeria and Bangladesh less favoured than those from Moldova.

Perceptions of integration hinged on English fluency and having family and friends in the UK. Social distance was lowest in public or commercial encounters and highest in private spaces such as the home.

Overall, the survey shows that UK perceptions of irregular migration are partial, uneven, and often distorted. Attitudes combine suspicion with pragmatism and show openness to social markers of belonging. These findings highlight the importance of addressing both misperceptions and the wider narrative environment that shapes public debates on irregularity.