This paper provides a synthesis of existing knowledge on the post-accession wave of Polish migration to the United Kingdom, placing it in the context of historical and contemporary flows. It discusses available data on migration trends and pinpoints their shortcomings. Finally, it introduces the background to the CPC project ‘International mobility and its impact on family and household formation among Polish migrants living in England and Scotland’, drawing attention to the significance of geographical location, and the urban and rural divide for the formation of the new Polish communities.