30/01/2013

Census Shows 138,000 People Speak No English

Figures from the 2011 census have revealed that 138,000 people living in England and Wales could not speak any English.

The 2011 census was the first to ask how well the population could speak English when it was not a person's main language.

After English, the second most reported main language was Polish, followed by Punjabi and Urdu.

For 92%, or 50 million, English was their main language for respondents aged three and over.

8% - or 4 million - spoke a different main language, but most were proficient in speaking English.

The figures go on to show that of those with a main language other than English, 1.7 million could speak English very well, 1.6 million could speak English well, and 726,000 could speak English, but not well. The remaining 138,000 could not speak English at all.

Meanwhile, the percentage of the population that is married fell from 51% in 2001 to 47% in 2011.

(H)


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