| Ethnic groups and the 2001 Population Census |
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The UK 2001 Census recorded a general BME population of 13%, of which 8% were non white (9% non white for England and Wales). The number of categories for ethnic group choice was increased from, 10 in the last Census (1991), to 16. Out of a total of nearly 60m people, 4.6m were classified as non white.
The biggest ethnic group were South Asian ( Approx 2m) followed by Black (Approx 1m). The Mixed category was the next largest group followed by Chinese . The remaining number included ethnic groups with smaller population numbers, e.g. Turkish, Kurdish, Jewish, American, Spanish, French, Polish etc. Apologies we can't include all, and we know these groups do not like to be to be classed as 'Other'.
Since the 2001 Census, UK BME community population numbers have increased. Eastern European countries.are now significantly represented. However to put this in perspective, over 90% of the UK remains White British, and some BME elders are increasingly choosing to return to their country of birth. Those who travel to the UK do not always choose to stay. A diagnosis of cancer can be particularly distressing for comparitively younger BME community members, who may never have experienced cancer in their families, and may not yet have mastered the English language. Language experts say, it can take 5 years to learn a language. There are no words to describe cancer in some languages, and medical jargon is difficult to translate without relevant expertise or medical advice. Lack of cancer awareness is an issue that contributes to late diagnosis in BME communities. Ethnic groups and the 2001 Population Census - (National statistics website)
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