Common Language: English for Belonging
The issue
Being able to speak and understand English is vital for life in the UK. It helps people take part in their communities, make friends, get jobs, talk to doctors and teachers, and feel at home.
Yet for many people making the UK their home, learning English is out of reach.
Across the country, thousands are on waiting lists for English classes. Funding has been cut by over 50% in the past decade, and courses are often limited to those already in work or on certain benefits. Others face barriers such as childcare, travel costs, or confusing eligibility rules.
English language education isn’t just an issue for migrants. When people can’t learn English, everyone misses out. Our communities lose skilled workers, schools can’t communicate with parents, the NHS becomes even more stretched, and neighbours find it harder to connect.
Language is not a luxury. It’s the common thread of belonging and cohesion that helps our diverse nation live together with dignity, confidence and understanding.
Our ask
Citizens UK is calling for a Common Language, a fair and inclusive plan for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) that helps everyone play a full part in community life.
We ask the Department for Education, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and regional leaders to make sure that anyone who wants an ESOL class can get one.
When we invest in English learning, people have a real chance to belong, take part, and help build strong and welcoming communities.
What we’re doing
Citizens UK members across the country are taking action through our Common Language campaign, part of our wider Pathways to Citizenship work.
- We’ve held listening campaigns hearing from over 2000 migrants and refugees about the challenges they face.
- Our members are working with regional governments to expand community ESOL classes and remove eligibility barriers.
- We’ve developed partnerships with The Bell Foundation and NATECLA to strengthen the call for more ESOL funding.
Local alliances are piloting community ESOL hubs, working with ESOL providers to increase local capacity so more people can access classes.
My teachers didn’t just teach me English, they taught me how to live here. Through ESOL, I learned about housing, healthcare, documents, workers’ rights. We didn’t just learn grammar, we learned how to survive, how to belong, how to rebuild a life from zero. I want to study in the UK. I want to get a good job. I want to build my future here. And English is the key to all of that.
- Anastasiia, ESOL learner, English for Action
