The net migration of EU citizens to Britain has almost stopped in large areas of the country, according to research that has triggered calls for the uniform immigration policy to be abandoned.

Data analysed by the Institute for Public Policy Research reveals considerable variations in migration levels in England, Wales and Scotland, with London and the south-east continuing to attract EU nationals, and other regions seeing numbers decline sharply over the past 12 months.

There was a net annual increase of just 2,000 EU citizens in south-west England in 2016, according to the IPPR’s analysis of official figures. The north-west and Wales attracted 4,000 more EU citizens and the north-east, 3,000.

The decline was particularly marked in the north-west: in 2015, the region had attracted 16,000 more EU citizens than the previous year.

London, by contrast, attracted 22,000 more EU citizens in 2016 than the previous year; and the south-east, 21,000. Scotland attracted 11,000, compared with 7,000 in 2015.



An IPPR discussion paper, An Immigration Strategy for the UK, to be published on Tuesday, concludes that a uniform migration system with no regional flexibility will fail to meet the different labour and demographic needs around the country after Brexit.

It calls for regional differences in immigration rules, allowing those that need more people to address labour shortages or boost their population to offer incentives for them to immigrate.

Official figures this week confirmed that net migration to Britain fell by 106,000 to 230,000 in the 12 months to June, sparking claims of a “Brexodus”. But the IPPR’s regional analysis suggests something more complex is taking place.

Phoebe Griffith, the author of the paper, said: “These latest statistics show our current immigration system is not working for the whole of the UK.

“As we leave the EU, we need to make sure each of our nations and regions – not just London – has a voice in shaping how immigration works in future, to meet their labour and demographic needs.”

The paper said the immigration debate had left many people with a “pervading sense of disempowerment in the face of considerable change”.

It warns: “Even in areas of the UK that have received record levels of immigration, local efforts to sustain cohesion and support public services have been sorely lacking. This leaves little scope for an active and meaningful local level dialogue.”

Griffith said: “A policy that allows for different rules for different parts of the UK would not only be workable to implement and good for regional economies – it could also help to bring about a more constructive and tangible conversation about immigration at the local level.”

The Labour MP Yvette Cooper, who is chair of the home affairs select committee, said few experts continued to support the UK having a monolithic approach to immigration, and many employer groups wanted the system overhauled.

Since the EU referendum, the Greater London Authority, the City of London and other key bodies in the capital have argued that they should be given the power to issue work visas that are specific to the capital’s economic interests.

Cooper said the IPPR paper reflected much of the evidence heard by MPs. “Most people support different kinds of rules or frameworks for different kinds of migration rather than treating all immigration in the same way in a single target.



“We will be looking at IPPRs proposals and evidence as part of our inquiry into how to build more consensus on immigration policy.”

Under the IPPR’s proposals, a “sub-state system” could be designed to address geographical imbalances. The Home Office would have the power to coordinate and calibrate the system to incentivise migrants to apply to British nations and regions outside the south-east.

The thinktank suggests: “Such a system could ‘level the playing field’ for areas which are losing out from the current immigration rules. For example, in order to attract skilled migrants, salary thresholds could be set at a lower level or post-study work advantages could be offered to international students based at local universities.”