39% of Muslims live in deprived areas of England, Wales: Census
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Campaigners are urging policymakers to address the "cycle of poverty" that has trapped generations of British Muslims.
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Muslims praying inside a mosque (Getty Images)
Campaigners have urged policymakers to intervene in the "cycle of poverty" that has entrapped generations of British Muslims, as the most recent census shows that 39% of Muslims now live in the most deprived areas of England and Wales.
According to the census, the proportion of Muslims has increased by 1.2 million in the last ten years, bringing the Muslim population to 3.9 million by 2021. Muslims now make up 6.5% of the population in England and Wales, up from 4.9% in 2011.
While the Muslim population has begun to disperse away from urban areas, the most recent census revealed a concerning correlation between areas with the highest levels of deprivation and the percentage share of Muslims.
A published report by the Muslim Council of Britain's Center for Media Monitoring reveals that British media coverage of #Muslims and #Islam showed misinformation, stereotyping, and #Islamophobia. #Britain pic.twitter.com/RtfB8cT1Qo
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) December 6, 2021
The overall data recorded that 61% of Muslims in England and Wales live in the bottom 40% of the country's deprivation zones. Only 4% of Muslims live in the poorest fifth of England and Wales.
“We’re now the second or third generation [of Muslims]. There’s more of us here. Yet, we’re still in these cycles of poverty and deprivation,” said Zara Mohammed, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB). “I think part of that is down to socio-economic conditions where people are housed and the economic opportunities available.”
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According to the MCB, this increase in the Muslim population is being driven by a younger population born in this country, people in their second and third generations.
Mohammed added, “I think there’s something to really be said about what our politics and policies are doing to help those who are really suffering. There’s all these stereotypes and tropes around Muslims, but the reality is that people are actually in cycles of poverty. And these need to be broken.”
Tower Hamlets had the highest percentage of Muslim residents in England and Wales, according to the 2011 census. The Muslim population has grown by 1.9 percentage points over the last decade, accounting for 39.9% of the local population.
