Unemployment rates by sub-region
Key points
- Unemployment is higher in Inner London than in Outer London, though the gap has narrowed in recent years.
- Compared to the late 1990s, unemployment is now lower in Inner London and higher in Outer London.
Unemployment by sub-region over time
What does this graph show?
8% of working-age adults in Inner London are unemployed, compared to 7% in Outer London and 6% in rest of the country.
Since 2004, unemployment has risen by one percentage point in Inner London and three percentage points in Outer London. This averages out to around two percentage points in London as a whole. Compared to the late 1990s, unemployment is now lower in Inner London and higher in Outer London, which takes it back to the level of late 1990s for London as a whole.
So, over time, unemployment seems to have grown less quickly in London than in the rest of England. But this is because of lower growth in Inner London. The rise in unemployment in Outer London, whether since the mid 2000s or the late 1990s, is in line with the rest of England.
Data used
Labour Market Statistics, ONS,
These figures refer to people who are officially 'unemployed'. To be classed as unemployed, someone must be lacking work but actively seeking it and available to start a job within two weeks.
Indicator last updated: 25 April 2012
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
Work and worklessness
- Working-age adults lacking work over time
- Working-age adults lacking work by borough
- Children in workless households over time
- Lone parent employment rates
- Children in workless households by type
- Unemployment rates over time
- Unemployment in London by age
- Part-time work
- Young adult unemployment
- Unemployment, worklessness and underemployment
- Unemployment by borough
- Worklessness by gender and ethnicity
- Worklessness by gender and country of birth
- Worklessness by disability status
Case Study
Case study: Laura
Laura, aged 48, has lived in London most of her life. She worked in low-skilled jobs until becoming a mother. With no support from the father, she found it difficult to cope. Her real words are spoken by an...More…
Glossary
Unemployed:
Someone wanting and actively seeking work who is available to start a full-time job straightaway
Workless :
People who are not working but want a job and those people who are officially unemployed make up a group who can be described as 'lacking work but wanting work'. Anyone else of working-age who is not working is therefore 'lacking work but not wanting work'. The total workless population therefore includes those lacking and wanting work as well as those lacking but not wanting work.
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