You asked
I am interested in the number of foreign born population and native internal migration rates in the UK at the local authority level from the early 2000s onwards.
It is my understanding that the LFS makes these variables public at the annual and regional level but that obtaining them at the local authority level requires making a Freedom of Information (FoI)request. Would it be possible to obtain aggregate annual statistics of internal migration into and out of local authorities (over the period from 2000 to 2018) based on the UK LFS directly from the LFS Data Service by making such a request?
I am also interested in the specific figures on the number of workers from the A8 countries: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia at the local authority level from the Worker Registration Scheme from the UK border agency from 2001 onwards.
We said
Thank you for your Freedom of Information (FOI) request about international and internal migration at local authority (LA) level.
We publish population estimates by country of birth; individual country data which provides data at local authority level. Other international migration tables can be found through the Table of Contents.
We publish internal migration statistics between LAs in England and Wales and includes moves to and from Northern Ireland and Scotland. For more detailed data about internal migration in Northern Ireland and Scotland you would need to contact the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency and National Records of Scotland respectively.
Please note that our internal migration statistics (see internal migration methodology) are not based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS) as the LFS is not a longitudinal study; see LFS methodology; nor do our internal migration statistics include country of birth so there is no breakdown to indicate internal moves.
LFS data is available through a variety of channels;
- a special license to access LFS data (not an FOI) -- these are available through the UK Data Service
- through the ONS Secure Research Scheme for accredited researchers
- from ONS; user requested data may be available upon request but will be subject to a prioritisation process and may be subject to the charge rates available on the website as per the ONS charging policy.
We do publish data about UK and non-UK people in the labour market though this may not be to the level of detail you have requested.
For data from the Worker Registration Scheme, you will have to apply directly to the UK Border Force.
When accessing any of our files please read the 'notes, terms and conditions' contained within them.
Please do not hesitate to contact us directly on pop.info@ons.gov.uk if you require anything further.