Immigrants have long shaped Britain, adding their own cultural heritage to the country’s social fabric. Immigrant customs, art, music, fashion, and food make British life better. This helps local traditions grow and evolve in the UK and help make the country a multicultural melting pot .
Remitly knows that for migrant groups, celebrating their own culture strengthens community cohesion and promotes cross-cultural dialogue. Whether at big festivals or small gatherings, these events highlight that immigrants play a key role in every aspect of British life, from markets to music, through sport to the NHS.
How immigrants celebrate their culture in the UK
The UK has always been a magnet for people drawn by its stable economy, solid education system, or to reunite with family. Over the centuries Irish and Jewish people, settlers from the Commonwealth, and people from Asia, Africa, and more recently Eastern Europe have all left a lasting mark on the country.
It’s not just London; cities like Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham are prime examples of cultural diversity. They have areas filled with restaurants, places of worship, and thriving businesses run by immigrants. In fact there are few parts of the UK that haven’t been reached by immigrant communities.
Some cultural icons, like fish and chips, curry or the Notting Hill Carnival, simply wouldn’t exist in the UK without the impact made by immigrants.
Historical context of immigration in the UK
Immigration to Britain had already been happening for hundreds of years, but after World War II it increased significantly. The British Nationality Act of 1948 welcomed thousands from the Commonwealth.
This included the Windrush Generation, who came to help rebuild a nation recovering from conflict. People came from all over the Caribbean and Asia to help fill a skills shortage, playing a huge part in building the new health service, for example.
Though many faced discrimination, these pioneers changed the UK’s schools, places of worship, cuisine, and music. They have made important economic contributions and left their mark on British culture forever.
Traditions and festivals
Major festivals celebrated by immigrant communities
Many festivals across the UK show how immigration has shaped the country’s culture. These and other events showcase the rich diversity brought to the country by its immigrant communities:
- The Notting Hill Carnival is a three-day street party in London. It happens in late summer and features steel bands, Calypso, reggae, ska, and vibrant costumes.
- Diwali is the five-day “Festival of Lights” celebrated every autumn. It brightens areas with Hindu, Sikh, Jain and some Buddhist communities with brilliant displays of lights, dance, and fireworks.
- At Chinese New Year the streets of cities with Chinese communities come alive with lion dance troupes, food stalls, and red lanterns. This celebration marks a tradition that has lasted for many centuries.
- Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha mark the end of Ramadan and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca for Muslim communities. People gather for prayers, enjoy feasts together and give to charity.
- With people from every part of Africa living in the UK, you’ll find plenty of cultural events and celebrations all over the country throughout the year. The largest is Africa Oyé in Liverpool.
- The spring festival of Vaisakhi is mainly celebrated by Sikh communities to honour the founding of the Khalsa. The celebration includes processions, festive meals, and bright traditional clothing.
In the UK, these events are widely celebrated beyond the communities that brought them to the country. This shows just how much an integral part of British society such diverse immigrant traditions have become.
Traditional cultural practices maintained in the UK
Of course it’s not just about the big celebrations. Smaller, personal customs connect immigrants to their homelands once they’ve settled in the UK.
- Cuisine
Ingredients and dishes brought into the UK by immigrant communities has become completely ingrained in British food tastes. You can find restaurants from every continent in every town and city in the UK. In fact, many fusion dishes now blend traditional British food with flavours brought by immigrants, or even two different immigrant cuisines. - Faith and worship
Mosques, temples, synagogues, and churches all share the streets of the UK. Members of immigrant communities can find each other through their shared faith, and these institutions build bridges across communities too. - Art and music
Artistic expression is essential for immigrant communities to stay connected to their roots and culture, tell their stories and pass on their customs to the next generation. - Rites of passage
In the UK many of the major life-event celebrations, like weddings or coming-of-age ceremonies, blend cultural or family customs with British elements. - Language
According to the last census, most migrants in the UK speak English very well. But many of them want to keep their mother tongues alive as well, particularly passing their native language on to their children. This boosts the number of bilingual or multilingual people in the UK, strengthening multiculturalism and building bridges between communities.
Impact on British culture
Contributions of immigrants to UK society
Despite the challenges many immigrants have faced, their positive contributions to society and culture in the UK are unmissable.
- Economic growth
After the second world war, arrivals like the Windrush Generation helped rebuild. They filled critical vacancies in jobs in the NHS, public transport, and factories in particular, addressing labour shortages. And they began to build businesses and generate employment, becoming an important part of the UK’s economy. - Language evolution
In the major cities in particular, English has taken words from Jamaican patois, Asian dialects, and Eastern European languages. This mix has changed slang, speech styles, accents, and even a whole new variant of English. - Culinary diversity
It’s not just restaurants that have sprung up across the entire country to bring immigrant cuisine to British diners. The whole culinary landscape has changed as new ingredients, new fashions in food and even new ways of cooking have become normal in British homes. - Sport and entertainment
Athletes born outside the country shine in football, cricket, athletics, Olympic and other diverse sports. They bring fans together and cross cultural and national borders. Immigrant actors and musicians enrich TV, film, and theatre, reflecting the UK’s global connections. - Music
Sounds from Reggae, Calypso and Afrobeat to Eastern European folk music and Bhangra have blended with British music to create new sounds and enrich the UK’s music scene.
Preserving cultural heritage
Initiatives and organisations supporting cultural preservation
Numerous bodies and programmes champion the influence of immigration in the UK and protect immigrant heritage. These range from large, nationally recognised organisations to small-scale, local initiatives. Some popular examples are:
- Black Cultural Archives
Based in London’s Windrush Square, at the Black Cultural Archives you can explore the art, history and culture of people of African and Caribbean heritage. - Migration Museum
Shows how migration has influenced life in the UK through a changing range of exhibitions and immersive events. - Migrant Voice
Provides media training and storytelling workshops to help immigrants share their views and experiences with wider audiences. - Refugee Action and Migrants’ Rights Network
Support charities for migrants that, among other activities, advocate for policy changes, seek fair treatment for immigrants to the UK, coordinate local cultural projects, and provide language services and outreach programmes.
Role of community centres and cultural events
Community centres and immigrant-led groups are often a vital source of support for new arrivals to the UK. They provide a community where friendships can be made and advice shared. They offer mental health support and networking for anyone feeling isolated or stressed.
This helps make the process of settling in into British life easier.
Challenges and opportunities
Navigating cultural identity and integration
Immigrants offer different views, but cultural integration can sometimes be tricky. Some parents insist on preserving language and religious traditions at home while others encourage their children to embrace local customs. They might worry about cultural clashes at school or in social situations.
Finding a balance between heritage and British tradition often involves trial and error. One way to overcome this is to build a support network. This can include friends, faith groups, or mentors who have faced similar challenges.
Overcoming stereotypes and promoting inclusivity
Stereotypes based on wrong information or little exposure to other cultures have been around for a long time. Some of them don’t seem to go away. However, immigrants and their UK-born children use several strategies to help break these preconceptions down:
- Dialogue-based workshops
Schools and community centres often hold open forums where immigrants share their personal stories. This helps clear up misunderstandings about their backgrounds. - Open houses in places of worship
Mosques, temples, and churches invite local residents to see rituals, ask questions, and share meals. - Collaborative arts projects
Photographic exhibitions, street murals, and theatre productions share immigrant stories. They help build empathy and spark creative exchange. - Cultural ambassadors
Local councils may select members from various immigrant communities. They will help organise events, connect groups, and promote inclusive policy talks. - Language exchanges
Informal or organised meet-ups help people practise each other’s languages. This builds respect and broadens perspectives. - Media initiatives
Charities like the ones we’ve featured and civic groups ask immigrants to share their successes in newspapers or on social media. This highlights stories that challenge negative stereotypes.
Proactive activities like these, along with finding out what you need to know before moving to the UK, will help make things easier for you an immigrant in the UK.
FAQs
How have immigrants changed British culture?
Immigrants contribute to British culture with new dishes, music, and traditions. Immigrant-run shops, restaurants, and other businesses are integral parts of local economies across the country. And festivals celebrated by other cultures are becoming part and parcel of life in the UK.
What traditions are celebrated in the UK?
Traditional religious celebrations like Easter and Christmas, and quirkier events such as Pancake Day and Guy Fawkes Night, are still important. But now, the nation’s cultural calendar also includes Chinese New Year parades, Diwali light displays, and Eid festivals.
Have immigrants been a positive for the UK?
Absolutely. Immigrants work in large numbers in key sectors like the NHS, logistics, public transport, farming, education, the care sector and construction, helping fill ongoing labour shortages.
