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. 2020 Aug:68:100528.
doi: 10.1016/j.rssm.2020.100528. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Intersecting ethnic and native-migrant inequalities in the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

Yang Hu  1
Affiliations

Intersecting ethnic and native-migrant inequalities in the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

Yang Hu. Res Soc Stratif Mobil. 2020 Aug.

Abstract

Analyzing new nationwide data from the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey (N = 10,336), this research examines intersecting ethnic and native-migrant inequalities in the impact of COVID-19 on people's economic well-being in the UK. The results show that compared with UK-born white British, black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) migrants in the UK are more likely to experience job loss during the COVID-19 lockdown, while BAME natives are less likely to enjoy employment protection such as furloughing. Although UK-born white British are more likely to reduce their work hours during the COVID-19 pandemic than BAME migrants, they are less likely to experience income loss and face increased financial hardship during the pandemic than BAME migrants. The findings show that the pandemic exacerbates entrenched socio-economic inequalities along intersecting ethnic and native-migrant lines. They urge governments and policy makers to place racial justice at the center of policy developments in response to the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; Economic impact; Ethnicity; Inequality; Intersectionality; Migrant status; UK.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Predicted probability of employment status changes during the pandemic. Notes: N = 8,281. Error bars = 95 % confidence intervals.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Predicted probability of work-hour changes during the pandemic. Notes: N = 8,281. Error bars = 95 % confidence intervals.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Predicted probability of household income loss during the pandemic. Notes: N = 10,336. Error bars = 95 % confidence intervals.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Predicted probability of being behind with bills during the pandemic and greater difficulty of paying bills during the pandemic than before. Notes: N = 10,336. Error bars = 95 % confidence intervals.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Predicted probability of self-reported financial situation during COVID-19 and worsened financial situation during compared with before COVID-19. Notes: N = 10,336 respondents. Error bars = 95 % confidence intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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