The Archbishop of Canterbury says it is "outrageous" to brand people worried about mass migration as racist.

The Most Reverend Justin Welby told a parliamentary magazine families in Britain are entitled to express concerns about the impact of an influx of refugees.

He says genuine fears about the pressure new arrivals could place on aspects of society including housing and employment should be listened to and addressed.

He told Politics Home: "There is a tendency to say 'those people are racist', which is just outrageous, absolutely outrageous.

"Fear is a valid emotion at a time of such colossal crisis. This is one of the greatest movements of people in human history. Just enormous. And to be anxious about that is very reasonable.

"In fragile communities particularly – and I've worked in many areas with very fragile communities over my time as a clergyman – there is a genuine fear: what happens about housing? What happens about jobs? What happens about access to health services? There is a genuine fear. And it is really important that that fear is listened to and addressed. There have to be resources put in place that address those fears."

But he said communities have "demonstrated an enormous capacity" to deal with the crisis at a local level.