Overview
Hackney is an inner London borough that extends north-east from the City. It is a borough that has changed a great deal in recent decades, but there remains high levels of poverty and inequality, particularly in how people access work and housing. In March 2020, 10.3% of the working age population claimed some sort of out-of-work benefit, the highest rate of any London borough. Hackney also has the highest rate of working-age adults who have no qualifications (10.8% compared to 6.7% for London overall).
Housing is a challenge in Hackney, with rents for an average one-bedroom dwelling in the borough standing at 61.2% of median pre-tax pay in London, one of the highest ratios in London. Equally, Hackney has one of the highests rates of households in temporary accommodation with 26.83 households per 1,000 in Hackney in temporary accommodation compared to an average of 16.55 across London.
The grid below shows how Hackney compares against London overall on key poverty and inequality indicators. Red text denotes the fact that Hackney is worse than is typical for London on that indicator, and green means it is better.
Hackney indicator rankings
People
Infant mortality
Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Average compared to all London Boroughs (3.4)
Average compared to England (3.9)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 3.55)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (4.3)
Premature mortality
Deaths of <75 year olds per 100,000
Average compared to all London Boroughs (316)
Average compared to England (336)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 341)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (360)
Qualifications at 19
19 year olds without level 3 qualifications
Average compared to all London Boroughs (24.4%)
Average compared to England (27.8%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 30.15%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (33.5%)
Living standards
Child poverty rate
Child poverty rate (AHC)
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (35%)
Worse compared to England (29.3%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 40.5%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (39%)
Income deprivation
Income deprivation (relative to London overall)
Worse compared to all London Boroughs ( 1)
Worse compared to England (0.8)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 1.44)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (1.39)
Pay inequality
80:20 ratio of earnings
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (2.64)
Worse compared to England (1.94)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 2.58)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (2.52)
Poverty rate
Poverty rate
Average compared to all London Boroughs (27%)
Worse compared to England (22.1%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 29%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (26%)
Housing
Evictions
Repossessions per 1,000 households
Average compared to all London Boroughs (2.42)
Average compared to England (1.51)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 2.87)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.98)
Homeless acceptances
Main homelessness duty owed per 1,000 households
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (0.74)
Worse compared to England (0.42)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.91)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (0.95)
Housing affordability
Median rent as a percentage of median pay
Average compared to all London Boroughs (46.3%)
Worse compared to England (26.4%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 42.05%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (49.1%)
Housing delivery
Average net affordable, social and discounted housing completions
Average compared to all London Boroughs (132)
(Data not available)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 135)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (310)
Rough sleeping
People seen sleeping rough by outreach
Average compared to all London Boroughs (214)
(Data not available)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 206)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (297)
Temporary accommodation
Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000
(Data not available)
Work
Benefits
Out-of-work benefits
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (12.7%)
Average compared to England (12.7%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 14.4%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (13.9%)
Low pay (resident)
Proportion of borough residents' jobs that are low paid
Average compared to all London Boroughs (20.2%)
Average compared to England (17.2%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 23%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (17.25%)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate
Average compared to all London Boroughs (5.3%)
Worse compared to England (4.3%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 5.85%)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (6.9%)
Unemployment rate change
Unemployment rate 3 year change
Average compared to all London Boroughs (0.2pts)
Average compared to England (0.0pts)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.35pts)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (0.9pts)