Communities secretary Hazel Blears said town halls would develop information packs for newcomers to help them fit in and avoid "behaving in a way that is out of step with the normal way of doing things or in extreme cases, against the law".

Guidance includes advice on accessing local services, including English language classes, as well as social rules such as "not littering, not spitting and queuing in shops".

The move is part of a range of policies being promoted by the government to help councils respond to increasing change in their local community, following a ten-month review by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion.

Blears said: "As a government we have a role in ensuring that the diversity which is a real strength of this country is successfully managed and doesn't lead to problems in the way that people live and get along together."

But council chiefs insist the real source of community tensions is the lack of funding to accommodate surges of new migrants in certain areas.

The council umbrella body, the Local Government Association, said some councils were already providing "welcome packs" to help migrants access services and live harmoniously with locals.

The LGA chair, Sir Simon Milton, blamed tensions on the funding levels put in place to deal with a significant influx of newcomers, which he said put a strain on public services.

Milton said: "The speed and scale of migration combined with the shortcomings of official population figures, is placing pressure on funding for services like children's services and housing. This can even lead to unnecessary tension and conflict.

"The problem is that the money that is being generated isn't necessarily finding its way back down to the local level. Official statistics on how many migrants are coming and where they are going are inadequate.

"No-one has a real grasp of where or for how long migrants are settling so much needed funding for local services isn't getting to the right places."

Blears said the government had made £50m available over the next three years to support local authorities in responding to local need.

Other plans unveiled by the government today include specialist cohesion teams to provide advice and support to local authorities, particularly in areas facing rapid change or experiencing migration for the first time.

The government will publish further advice later in the year to help councils draw up "action plans" for their area.

Blears said: "It is at the local level that changes are felt most keenly. But we are also clear that strong direction from government is needed if we are going to make managing those changes easier."

"We are providing the resources and support that will help local authorities promote integration between new and settled communities and manage the impact of population change.