Southwark

Overview

Southwark is an inner London borough located on the south of the river Thames. Child poverty rates here are worse than the London average, with 44% of children judged to be living in households in poverty (compared to 39% in a typical London borough). There is a greater-than-average amount of income deprivation in Southwark, with the average neighbourhood 50% more income deprived than an average neighbourhood in London. 

With earners at the 80th percentile earning three times as much as those at the 20th percentile, Southwark sees some of the greatest pay inequality in London. Southwark Borough Council also accepts more households as homeless given its size than most other boroughs. 

The grid below shows how Southwark compares against London overall on key poverty and inequality indicators. Red text denotes the fact that Southwark is worse than is typical for London on that indicator, and blue means it is better.

Southwark indicator rankings

People

Infant mortality

Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births

3.1

Average compared to all London Boroughs (3.4)

Better compared to England (3.9)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 3)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (3.6)

Premature mortality

Deaths of <75 year olds per 100,000

358

Average compared to all London Boroughs (316)

Average compared to England (336)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 358)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (364)

Qualifications at 19

19 year olds without level 3 qualifications

28.4%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (24.4%)

Average compared to England (27.8%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 31%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (31.9%)

Data sources and methods

Living standards

Child poverty rate

Child poverty rate (AHC)

38%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (35%)

Worse compared to England (29.3%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 37%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (39%)

Income deprivation

Income deprivation (relative to London overall)

1.5

Worse compared to all London Boroughs ( 1)

Worse compared to England (0.8)

Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 1.19)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.58)

Pay inequality

80:20 ratio of earnings

2.43

Better compared to all London Boroughs (2.64)

Worse compared to England (1.94)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 2.565)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (2.61)

Poverty rate

Poverty rate

26%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (27%)

Average compared to England (22.1%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 26%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (29%)

Data sources and methods

Housing

Evictions

Repossessions per 1,000 households

1.87

Average compared to all London Boroughs (2.42)

Average compared to England (1.51)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 1.87)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.98)

Homeless acceptances

Main homelessness duty owed per 1,000 households

1.48

Worse compared to all London Boroughs (0.74)

Worse compared to England (0.42)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 1.13)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (0.93)

Housing affordability

Median rent as a percentage of median pay

49.1%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (46.3%)

Worse compared to England (26.4%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 52.9%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (51%)

Housing delivery

Average net affordable, social and discounted housing completions

380

Better compared to all London Boroughs (132)

(Data not available)

Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 140)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (190)

Rough sleeping

People seen sleeping rough by outreach

388

Average compared to all London Boroughs (214)

(Data not available)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 268)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (264)

Temporary accommodation

Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000

22.9

Average compared to all London Boroughs (16.4)

Worse compared to England ( 4)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 19.65)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (13.55)

Data sources and methods

Shared opportunity

GCSE attainment

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 9-4

77.2%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (75.6%)

Better compared to England (72.2%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 74.6%)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (72.9%)

No qualifications

Proportion with no qualifications

6.2

Average compared to all London Boroughs (6.7)

Average compared to England (7.4)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 6)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (6.5)

Data sources and methods

Work

Benefits

Out-of-work benefits

13.5%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (12.7%)

Average compared to England (12.7%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 13.2%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (14%)

Low pay (resident)

Proportion of borough residents' jobs that are low paid

14.4%

Better compared to all London Boroughs (20.2%)

Average compared to England (17.2%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 14.2%)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (18.35%)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate

6.9%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (5.3%)

Worse compared to England (4.3%)

Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 5.4%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (5.8%)

Unemployment rate change

Unemployment rate 3 year change

0.9pts

Average compared to all London Boroughs (0.2pts)

Average compared to England (0.0pts)

Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 0.8pts)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (0.5pts)

Data sources and methods