Ethnicity
In the UK, White British is the largest ethnic group, which means we often refer to ethnicities other than White British as ethnic minorities or Black and Minority Ethnic (BME).
It’s important that we have a deep understanding of the ethnicities in the borough so we can ensure we deliver the best services for your needs.
What is ethnicity?
In the JSNA, ethnicity or ethnic groups refer to groups of people who share a common national or cultural tradition. Ethnicity is, therefore, broader than race. It considers other factors, such as nationality, citizenship, skin colour, customs, language and religion.
Why ethnicity impacts our health
Our genetics, biology and culture impact on our health. Different ethnic groups, therefore, have different health needs. We want our health services to be equally useful to everyone who lives in the borough and not tailored towards one ethnicity.
BME groups are shown to have worse health outcomes compared to the rest of the UK population. Although cultural factors contribute to this, we must also look at the other social and economic circumstances which can affect BME groups, such as poverty, housing and environmental conditions.
Statistics on ethnicity
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021 information - the 2021 Census remains the most recent source of ethnicity data that covers the whole borough population and it's best accessed using the Office for National Statistics Nomis platform.
- Office for National Statistics cultural identity statistics - this shows how people in the UK see themselves today in terms of ethnicity, sexual identity, religion and language, and how this has changed over time.
- Department for Education – schools census as of January 2022 - the Department for Education conducts an annual census on schools, pupils and their characteristics. Although this only covers a small subsection of the population it can give an indication of any demographic changes between census releases.