People in Britain Say Racism Is Getting Worse

People in Britain from different backgrounds say racial equality is getting worse, according to new research from the thinktank British Future reported by The Guardian. A thinktank is a group that researches ideas for policy.

About 62% of ethnic minority Britons called racial inequality a serious problem, compared with 57% of white Britons. Concern is shared.

The research used two online surveys of 2,009 white adults and 3,014 ethnic minority adults from 30 March to 29 April, plus 12 focus groups, which are small guided talks. It is part of a three-year study funded by the Nuffield Foundation.

Nearly half of ethnic minority respondents said they faced prejudice based on race or nationality in the past year. It was higher among ages 18 to 24. Reports were most common in public spaces, then social media, then the workplace.

Among white respondents, 37% said ethnic minorities were treated better than white British people, while 33% disagreed. Among ethnic minority respondents, 23% said ethnic minorities were treated better, while 48% disagreed. Black respondents were more positive about British progress on racial equality. Respondents of Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage were more pessimistic.

The Green Party recorded +15 net trust and Labour recorded +13 net trust on treating people of different backgrounds fairly. Net trust is trust minus distrust. Reform UK recorded -31 net trust, with 16% expressing trust and 47% expressing distrust.

The report sets out 10 recommendations for government. They include challenging zero-sum thinking, supporting grassroots activities and pressing Ofcom on compliance against online racism. Zero-sum means one group's gain feels like another's loss, like splitting a small pie. Grassroots means local community projects. The work was led by British Future director Sunder Katwala.

British Future says it works for a confident and welcoming Britain that is inclusive and fair to all, with work covering integration and immigration, identity and race, according to British Future. Its work includes understanding shifting attitudes to race and identity in modern Britain and research to help anti-prejudice advocates communicate more effectively.

The broader context here is agreement on direction but not on cause. Both white and ethnic minority respondents see things getting worse. They differ on severity, cause and remedy. That gap matters because help for one group can feel like loss to another.

Looking at what this means for the future, the plan points to local action and existing rules, not new laws. Local work fits streets and workplaces. Ofcom action fits social media. Party trust gaps mean the messenger will matter. Young adults, who reported the most prejudice, will be the test.