New Commonwealth immigrants formed numerousethnic groups based on common language, religion and race. Distinctions are made between the Afro Caribbean and Asian communities, but far greater diversity exists than is implied by this two fold categorisation.
The first Afro Caribbeans arrived in 1948 to work in public transport, manufacturing and the National Health Service.According to the Office for National Statistics figures for 1999, the 900.000 members of all-Black groups now make up 1.5% of the population. Their aspirations to integrate ensured more contact with the white community than was experienced by the Asian community.
The Asian community is composed of several groups based on 7 main languages further divided into numerous dialects. Some groups have to resort to a second language, such as English, in order to integrate. The Asian community is further divided by several religions, values, cultural practices and castes, as well as by the the political tensions found in the politics of the Indian subcontinent. According to the Office for National Statistics figures for 1999, the Asian community was made up of 900.000 Indians (1.5% of the population), 600.000 Pakistanis (1%), 200.000 Bangladeshis (0.3%) and 200.000 Chinese (0.3%).
Some Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis have come to work in the textile and other industries while others have set up their own businesses, opening corner shops and restaurants in towns. They work hard and have strong family values. They have left their homeland with high motivation to succeed materially and to improve but they also have strong warnings about the danger of moral corruption in the West, hence and increased awareness of values and behaviours, and a reappraisal of ethnic identity. The assessment of difference depends in large part on their position in the residential, employment and social structure. In the 1970's and 1980's, Hong Kong Chinese and refugees from Vietnam came over to Britain to work in the catering business.