Briefing: Research report - Poverty in London
Tristan Donovan
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Research into the extent of poverty in London has mapped where pockets of child poverty exist and highlighted its effect on health outcomes.
London may be one of the world's richest cities but it is also home tosome of the highest levels of child poverty in the UK.
The extent of child poverty in the capital is highlighted in a recentreport issued by the London Child Poverty Commission. Monitoring ChildPoverty in London collates figures on poverty in the capital to show theextent of the problem and where pockets of child poverty are. Ithighlights how 39 per cent of children in London live in povertycompared to a Great Britain-wide average of 28 per cent and how thepercentage of London families in overcrowded housing is twice that ofthe rest of the country (10 per cent).
Overall, the figures show that while some improvements were made inreducing deprivation in the late 1990s, there was little sign ofconsistent progress on child poverty in London since 2000. However,teenage pregnancy rates, educational results and life expectancy haveimproved. The report also delves into how child poverty is distributedwithin boroughs showing how poverty and poor health go together.
The data forms the basis of 15 indicators that the commission believesshould be used to measure progress in fighting child poverty inLondon.
The commission intends to monitor changes in each of the 15 indicators,which include measures such as life expectancy at birth, on an annualbasis.
Carey Oppenheim, chair of the commission, says: "(The report) shows howclosely the geography of child poverty mirrors health inequalities. Aman living in Bethnal Green North is expected to live 16 years less thana man living in Coutfield ward in Kensington and Chelsea. There couldscarcely be a more dramatic illustration of inequalities in life chancesin London."
FACT BOX
- Some 24 per cent of children in London live in poverty before housingcosts are considered. Once housing costs are considered this rises to 39per cent
- There were 42.6 conceptions per 1,000 young women aged 15 to 17 inouter London in 2004, compared to 58 conceptions per 1,000 in innerLondon
- www.london.gov.uk.
