What devolution and local election results could mean for integration in England

“Local election results, combined with the reorganisation of local government, could have severe consequences for how councils support newcomers to their area. Melissa Weihmayer explains how devolution can be harnessed to strengthen integration amidst political upheaval. Enjoying this post? Then sign up to our newsletter and receive a weekly roundup of all our articles. England’s major devolution reforms, alongside local elections that saw political party Reform UK win 1,451 new seats, could transform how local authorities support the integration of newcomer and existing communities. Support for newcomers in England is currently uneven and often precarious , due in part to the absence of a national integration strategy as well as fragmented funding for local authorities to support some groups and not others . Devolution and the related reorganisation of local government will affect integration work in different and conflicting ways, potentially disrupting existing support systems while also creating opportunities for more proactive and joined-up policymaking. This is an exciting yet uncertain time for local government. Parliament signed the English Devolution Bill into law end of April, which introduces new measures to create a regional tier of governance and empower mayors to deliver local economic growth. It also initiated a process to reorganise local government, in what is often considered the biggest shake-up since the 1970s, affecting 41 per cent of residents in England: two-tier local authorities in England, meaning those with both county and district levels, will merge into larger unitary authorities by 2028. The government argues that reorganisation will save money, reduce duplication, and ultimately improve local services. However, scholars are concerned that it distracts from engaging in the wider devolution process as well as everyday priorities, such as supporting newcomers and other vulnerable groups. Political change and competing priorities Politically, local government reorganisation could significantly alter how integration is approached and prioritised at the local level. Inaugural elections will be held in new unitary councils in May 2027. If a district that has been very active in refugee resettlement, for example, merges with areas that elect parties with different priorities, they risk facing cuts to any newcomer services that go beyond basic statutory requirements. There has already been indication that a Reform-led county council plans to reallocate Adult Education Budget funding away from tailored English-as-a-Second-Language (ESOL) courses towards a general literacy curriculum. This has the potential to make ESOL – traditionally seen as a cross-party priority – into a political flashpoint. Local government remains a relatively new arena for Reform, however; with evidence of ineffectiveness, the ability for Reform-led councils to influence integration budgets remains to be seen. Recent local election results may further muddle priorities. More than 30 councils now have no overall control. This potentially signals greater disagreement around strategic priorities, which could undermine work in complex policy areas with scarce resources and high needs like homelessness prevention, cohesion, and integration. But where there has been a change in party, potential outcomes for newcomers diverge significantly. The Green Party won control of Norwich, Hastings and three councils in London , for example with a manifesto in Lewisham that pushes back on immigration enforcement and a wider message of compassion . By contrast, Reform UK gained control of 14 councils, including in Suffolk, Essex and the London Borough of Havering, largely on an anti-immigration platform. Local government remains a relatively new arena for Reform, however; with evidence of ineffectiveness , the ability for Reform-led councils to influence integration budgets remains to be seen. Withstanding conflicting priorities, I remain most concerned about shrinking space for discretion and innovation on the trickiest problems, which have been so critical in setting up local responses to date. For example, finding housing for refugees recently granted status within the narrow 28-day “move-on period” (often 6 weeks in practice ) requires significant creativity and partnership-building. Efforts may stall with fewer councillors championing this work. Reorganisation as an opportunity for coordination On the flipside, local government reorganisation could also provide opportunities to improve support for newcomers. Councils undergoing reorganisation do not yet know exactly how services will operate after 2028. While there are concerns that this period of transition could lead to disruption and, worse, that people receiving support could fall through the cracks, with focused planning and coordination, the changes may prove beneficial in the long-term. Under the current system, arrangements vary significantly depending on where a newcomer settles. In two-tier authorities, most county councils take the lead on Homes for Ukraine while borough and district councils manage refugee resettlement programmes and helping people find housing in the private rental sector. These housing teams frequently lack capacity to manage growing caseloads, especially those with significant and complex needs. Merging county and district councils could help simplify and standardise systems by reducing duplication and the need for coordination, and enable funding for different newcomer groups to be consolidated into one pot, creating more flexibility for councils to scale up their services. However, councils need clear plans to manage this organisational change that mitigates the risks to populations relying on their services. The role of Strategic Authorities One potential solution lies in the new Strategic Authorities introduced through the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026. These new regional governance structures will bring together groups of local authorities under elected mayors with expanded powers over planning, housing, transport, skills and employment support. By gaining tools to drive local economic growth , especially around housing and infrastructure , Strategic Authorities can create an enabling environment for newcomer integration that builds from their ongoing contributions to their local communities. The central government’s emphasis on local economic growth intrinsically links devolution to migration given that migration tends to fill demand in key sectors and contributes to high-skill industries in many UK cities. Furthermore, the interrelated nature of different facets of integration – such as stable employment and housing, proficiency in English, and opportunities for social connection demonstrates the importance of inclusive local growth, making sure marginalised communities are not left behind. Aligning local growth plans with the cohesion agenda , and its proposed cross-government integration strategy, will be a key opportunity for local and central government alike. There is scope for Strategic Authorities to fill a gap in the governance of integration. We are already seeing Combined Authorities moving in this direction, although important questions remain about how their responsibilities will interact with existing structures such as Strategic Migration Partnerships (SMPs). SMPs are 12 regional bodies covering the UK that provide “system leadership on migration, asylum and refugee issues” (per the London SMP ). However, because they are funded by the Home Office, they occupy a difficult dual role: supporting local authorities while also coordinating Home Office priorities. This can limit their capacity for bottom-up policymaking and leaves their role in integration governance unclear. Strategic Authorities could oversee subregional integration programmes and establish baseline standards across local areas. Some county councils take this role on by default but struggle to do so sustainably alongside competing demands. If Strategic Authorities operate as intended, elected mayors could also be better positioned to challenge central government policies and advocate for more place-based approaches to integration. The unresolved question of funding The funding to support these new powers and strategic priorities is tentative. Indeed, scholars argue that fiscal decentralisation is a gaping hole in the devolution agenda. Though some of the existing Combined Authorities have been given “ integrated settlements ” – pots of multi-year funding that councils can allocate flexibly – this is not yet happening across the board. Enabling local governments to go a step further to decide how to raise their own revenue could create greater incentives to prioritise services and budgets more efficiently, benefitting local growth . The recent introduction of the Visitor Levy to the Act may mitigate this somewhat in tourist areas, especially in London. However, central government departments still retain significant control over funding across most policy areas, limiting the extent of local autonomy. Moving forward? Many local authorities are understandably daunted by the scale of political and organisational change ahead. Our work with six different district and county authorities in the Southeast and East of England through the Capacity for Welcoming project will document ways that local authorities are rising to these challenges. With proper transition plans, sustainable funding and regional coordination, devolution could help support integration through clearer strategic decision-making and inclusive local economic growth. Not doing so risks that migrant integration in England becomes even more fragmented amidst political and institutional upheaval. All articles posted on this blog give the views of the author(s), and not the position of LSE British Politics and Policy, nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Image credit: RW Jemmett on Shuterstock Enjoyed this post? Sign up to our newsletter and receive a weekly roundup of all our articles. The post What devolution and local election results could mean for integration in England first appeared on LSE British Politics .

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