Research published investigating outcomes for minority ethnic and minority religion groups in Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has today published research investigating outcomes for minority ethnic and minority religion groups in Northern Ireland.

Using data from the 2021 Census, the research examined key socioeconomic and self-reported health outcomes to better understand differences between groups and when compared to the majority population.

The key findings include:

• People from minority ethnic and minority religion groups often had different socioeconomic and self-reported health outcomes than those in the majority population in Northern Ireland, at the time of the 2021 Census.
• The Filipino and Indian ethnic groups had more positive outcomes than the White ethnic group on several measures. For example, a smaller share reported a disability, poor general health, and having no formal qualifications.
• Among the minority religion groups examined, the Hindu population generally had more positive outcomes. A higher share had degree-level qualifications and worked in high-skilled occupations.
• Findings for the Irish Traveller ethnic group showed poorer outcomes across several areas. Among the minority ethnic groups studied, Irish Travellers had the highest share reporting: a disability; poor general health; and economic inactivity.
• Across the minority religion groups in focus, the Muslim group generally had less positive outcomes. This included the highest share living in overcrowded accommodation and the lowest employment rate. The Muslim population also had the highest share reporting low English language proficiency.

Further analysis using secure research data from the 2021 Census accounted for differences in demographic, socioeconomic, and area characteristics of the ethnic groups in focus.

This allowed outcomes to be assessed on a more like-for-like basis, showing whether differences relative to the White ethnic group remained after adjusting for these factors. The results showed that differences in outcomes persisted:

• The Chinese, Filipino and Indian groups were among the minority ethnic groups least likely to report a disability, poor general health, and a mental health condition, relative to the White group.
• Within the working-age population aged 16 to 64 years, the Roma, Filipino, and Black Other groups were more likely to be economically active (i.e. participating in the labour market) relative to the White group.
• Compared to the White group, the Roma group was 1.7 times and the Filipino group 1.5 times more likely to be in employment (among those aged 16-64 years and economically active).
• The Chinese and Indian groups were more likely than the White group to live in owner-occupied housing.
• The Irish Traveller group was more than twice as likely as the White group to report a disability, poor general health, and a mental health condition.
• Of the 12 minority ethnic groups examined, eight were less likely to be in employment than the White group among people active in the labour market.
• Among people with degree-level and above qualifications, the Black Other, Filipino and Black African groups were more likely than the White group to work in low-skilled jobs (termed underemployment).

The research supports TEO's ongoing work on developing a new strategic approach to racial equality in Northern Ireland. The draft Framework for Race Relations and its associated two-year Delivery Plan aim to tackle racial inequalities and help create a more prosperous society for everyone.

The findings from the statistical modelling help to improve understanding of the differences between minority ethnic groups and the majority White group, regarding key socioeconomic and self-reported health outcomes. Statistical modelling was not applied to religion groups due to limited religion data breakdowns in the secure research data. Note that the research does not and cannot identify causes of the identified differences between groups.

The research was conducted under the Administrative Data Research NI (ADR NI) initiative, part of the wider ADR UK. NISRA, together with the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (comprising Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University), form ADR NI.

The Investigating outcomes for minority ethnic and minority religion groups in Northern Ireland using the 2021 Census' main and summary research reports and policy brief are available on the NISRA website.  

Notes to editors:

1. The research was conducted by NISRA under the Administrative Data Research NI (ADR NI) initiative. ADR NI is a partnership between the Administrative Data Research Centre NI (comprising Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University), and NISRA. Together they support the acquisition, linking and analysis of administrative datasets, developing cutting-edge research to improve knowledge, policymaking and public service delivery.
2. ADR NI is part of the wider Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK). ADR UK is a partnership transforming the way researchers access the UK's wealth of public sector data, to enable better-informed policy decisions that improve people's lives. ADR UK is made up of three national partnerships (ADR Scotland, ADR Wales, and ADR NI) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council which is part of UK Research and Innovation.
3. The analysis was undertaken using data from the 2021 Census in Northern Ireland, accessed via NISRA's Flexible Table Builder and the Census 2021 Comprehensive Microdata. The Flexible Table Builder allows users to create custom Census 2021 tables for people or households. The C21CM is a research-ready dataset that provides a large sample of Census 2021 data for research purposes, accessed in a setting that ensures the data remain safe and the privacy of individuals and households are protected.
4. The study focused on the Northern Ireland population as enumerated in the 2021 Census (census day was 21 March 2021), which achieved a 97% response rate. In interpreting the findings from the research, consideration should be given to limitations of the study, including:
   • The 2021 Census provides information at one point in time, so it does not show how outcomes changed for minority groups over time.
   • Evidence shows that some minority population groups may be underrepresented in census data, with the likelihood higher for more marginalised or mobile groups. NISRA conducted an extensive communication and engagement campaign around the 2021 Census to raise awareness and promote participation, including community liaison and the provision of census help and guidance in 17 languages.
   • Findings relating to economic activity and employment should be interpreted with caution. The 2021 Census overlapped with the COVID-19 pandemic during which measures such as he Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (furlough) and home working were introduced. This may have affected how some people reported their employment status and working arrangements in the Census.
5. Acknowledgement: ADR NI takes privacy protection very seriously. All information that directly identifies individuals/organisations will be removed from the datasets by trusted third parties before researchers access them. All researchers using ADR NI are trained and accredited to use sensitive data safely and ethically, they will only access the data via a secure environment and all their findings will be vetted to ensure they comply with strict confidentiality requirements. The help provided by the staff of the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland and the ADR NI support officers within NISRA Research Support Unit (RSU) is acknowledged. ADR NI is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The authors alone are responsible for the interpretation of the data and any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of ADR NI. NISRA's 2021 Census Comprehensive Microdata has been supplied for the sole purpose of this project.