Welsh-born Living Elsewhere in the UK
Most live in England
Distribution of people born in Wales living outside Wales: by place of residence in UK, April 2001
The 2001 Census found that 2.8 million people across the United Kingdom were born in Wales, and that more than one in five now lived in England.
The proportion of people born in Wales but living in other parts of the UK has remained relatively stable over the post-war period. The 1951 Census found the highest proportion of Welsh-born people resident in England (23 per cent), while the 1991 Census found the lowest (20 per cent). In 2001 the proportion was 22 per cent.
In total, 629,000 people who had been born in Wales lived in other parts of the UK in 2001. Nearly half of these lived in southern England, either in the South East, the South West (both 18 per cent) or in London (11 per cent). Other areas with relatively large numbers of people born in Wales included the border regions of the West Midlands (15 per cent) and the North West (12 per cent).
People born in Wales and living in the country had a younger age structure than people who had moved to other parts of the UK. Children aged under 16 accounted for just under a quarter (23 per cent) of the Welsh-born living in Wales but only 6 per cent of the Welsh-born living outside Wales. Pensioners comprised 19 per cent of the Welsh-born living in Wales, but 30 per cent of the Welsh-born living outside the country.
The Labour Force Survey found that among working age people born in Wales, those living outside the country were more highly qualified and more likely to belong to the higher social classes than those still living in Wales. This was true for both men and women and all age groups. For example, 38 per cent of Welsh-born men living outside Wales had a degree compared with 10 per cent who were living in Wales. Nearly half of all Welsh-born women living outside Wales belonged to the managerial and professional class (49 per cent) compared with 22 per cent who were living in Wales.
Economic activity rates were also lower among those born and still living in Wales than for those who had moved away. This was true both for men and women. For example, the economic activity rate for Welsh-born women living in Wales was 68 per cent compared with 77 per cent for those now living outside Wales. These differences in part reflect variations in the regional economies of the UK.
The Labour Force Survey also included a question about national identity. Not surprisingly people born in Wales but now living elsewhere in the UK were less likely than those still living in Wales to include ‘Welsh’ in their answer, although a majority still did so (56 per cent compared with 87 per cent). They were more likely to mention ‘British’ (41 per cent versus 19 per cent) or ‘English’ (12 per cent versus 2 per cent) in their answer.
Source: Annual Local Area Labour Force Survey, 2001/02, Office for National Statistics; Censuses, April 1951 to April 2001, Office for National Statistics; Censuses, April 1951 to April 2001, General Register Office for Scotland; Censuses, April 1951 to April 2001, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.
Notes: Economic Activity Rate: The proportion of people who either have or are looking for a job.
LFS National Identity Question : People were asked "What do you consider your national identity to be? Please choose as many or as few as apply" – Answers were "Welsh, English, Scottish, Irish, British, other answer".
Working age - Males aged 16 to 64, females aged 16 to 59.
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Demography