Out-of-work benefits by ward
Key points
- Areas with the highest proportions of working-age adults receiving out-of work benefits are concentrated in the Inner East and Outer East & North East of London.
- Every borough except for Kingston and Richmond has at least one ward with an above-average level of benefit recipiency.
- In Hackney, Newham and Islington, the proportion in every ward exceeds the national average.
The proportion of working-age adults receiving out-of-work benefits by ward
What does this map show?
Areas with the highest proportions of working-age adults receiving out-of work benefits are concentrated in the Inner East (Hackney, Haringey and Newham) and Outer East & North East (Enfield, Greenwich and Barking & Dagenham).
Parts of Lewisham, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets and Islington also have high proportions of benefit recipients. Clusters of high benefit recipiency in Outer London are also found in Brent, Havering, Croydon and Ealing.
Every borough except for Kingston and Richmond has at least one ward with an above-average level of benefit recipiency (that is one ward where at least one in seven adults is claiming benefits). Given that the London average is the same as the England average, we can say that these areas are entirely below the national average for benefit recipiency. In Hackney, Newham and Islington, the proportion in every ward exceeds the national average.
While the overall level of benefit recipiency in London is the same as the rest of England, the make-up of this population is slightly different. Even following the recent changes to eligibility rules, a higher proportion of recipients in London are lone parents, and a lower proportion receive disability-related benefits. The proportion of people receiving disability benefits varies significantly with age (see Disability Benefits).
Data used
Neighbourhood Statistics Data, 2010, DWP
Out-of-work benefits are the only reliable poverty data available at ward level. Other maps on this site are based on borough boundaries due to the lack of availability of ward data.
Indicator last updated: 18 October 2011
Topic:
Groups:
Boroughs:
- Barking and Dagenham
- Barnet
- Bexley
- Brent
- Bromley
- Camden
- City of London
- Croydon
- Ealing
- Enfield
- Greenwich
- Hackney
- Hammersmith and Fulham
- Haringey
- Harrow
- Havering
- Hillingdon
- Hounslow
- Islington
- Kensington and Chelsea
- Kingston upon Thames
- Lambeth
- Lewisham
- Merton
- Newham
- Redbridge
- Richmond upon Thames
- Southwark
- Sutton
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Wandsworth
- Westminster
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Glossary
Outer London:
Barking & Dagenham, Barnet, Bromley, Bexley, Brent, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest
Inner London:
Camden, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, Westminster
Pension Credit Guarantee:
Paid to those pensioners who have little or no income. In 2008 the guarantee brought a pensioner's income to £124.05 a week for single pensioners and £189.35 a week for pensioner couples
Key out-of-work benefits:
Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), Income Support (IS), Incapacity Benefit (IB), Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer's Allowance. Disability Living Allowance is not a key out-of-work benefit as it is available to people who may be in work and is not means-tested.
Benefit recipiency levels:
the proportion of working-age adults receiving out-of-work benefits