Ethnic composition of the UK population

According to the 2011 Census, the white ethnic group made up nearly 86 per cent of the UK's population. Minority ethnic groups accounted for 14.1 per cent.

Breakdown of minority ethnic groups:

• South Asian (including Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi): 6.8 per cent
• Black (including African Caribbean and African): 3.4 per cent
• Chinese: 0.7 per cent
• Arab: 0.4 per cent
• Mixed-race: 2.2 per cent
• Other groups: 0.6 per cent

How ethnicity influences social stratification and life chances

In the UK, ethnicity can influence social stratification, with the white majority often experiencing better life chances compared to minority ethnic groups. This disparity arises because of racial prejudice, discrimination, and institutional racism, affecting opportunities related to wealth, income, education, jobs, and health.

Patterns of ethnic inequalities in work and employment

Over-representation in low-paid sectors

Men from minority ethnic groups are frequently found in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs within the service sector, which are typically low-paid and insecure. These include industries like restaurants, transport, and retail. For example, over 10% of taxi drivers in the UK have a Pakistani or Bangladeshi background.

Under-representation in professional roles

In contrast, few individuals from minority ethnic groups hold white-collar, professional, or managerial positions. However, those from Indian and Chinese backgrounds are more likely to be in middle-class non-manual occupations, such as accountancy, law, and medicine. For instance, in 2016, around 20% of doctors in the National Health Service (NHS) were from Indian backgrounds.

Unemployment trends among different ethnic groups

Overall unemployment rates in 2016

In 2016, the unemployment rate for white people in the UK was 5 per cent, compared to 9 per cent for those from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

Specific rates by ethnic group:

• Black/African/Caribbean/Black British: 12 per cent
• Mixed-heritage: 12 per cent
• Bangladeshi: 11 per cent
• Pakistani: 10 per cent
• Indian: 6 per cent
• Chinese: 6 per cent

Unemployment among young people

Unemployment is especially pronounced among younger members of minority ethnic groups. In 2016, the rate for white individuals aged 16-24 was 13 per cent, but it reached around 30% for young Black men and close to 28% for young people of Pakistani or Bangladeshi background.

Unemployment among women

Gender intersects with ethnicity in unemployment patterns. In 2016, 4 per cent of white women were unemployed, compared to 12 per cent of Black women and 16 per cent of women from Pakistani or Bangladeshi backgrounds.

Research on discrimination in the job market

Li's study on ethnic discrimination

Many Muslim women removed their hijabs (headscarves worn for religious reasons) or changed their names to sound more English to reduce visible signs of their ethnicity and avoid prejudice. Additionally, interviews with women who had European-sounding names often deteriorated when employers realised the applicants were Black, leading to biased treatment.