Overview
Tower Hamlets is an inner London borough located in the east of London that struggles with poverty and inequality issues. The child poverty rate is the highest of all the London boroughs, with 55% of children judged to be living in households in poverty, compared to 39% in the typical London borough. While the unemployment rate in the borough fell by 2.5% percentage points between 2014/2017 and 2017/2020, one of the largest reductions in London, it is still higher than average at 7.2%.
Tower Hamlets has seen substantial increases in housing with an average of 680 new affordable, social and other discounted housing completions over 3 years (2016/17 - 2018/19). This is the highest of all London boroughs, the next highest being Greenwich at 360.
The grid below shows how Tower Hamlets compares against London overall on key poverty and inequality indicators. Red text denotes the fact that Tower Hamlets is worse than is typical for London on that indicator, and blue means it is better.
Tower Hamlets 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)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (3.6)
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)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (364)
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%)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (31.9%)
Living standards
Child poverty rate
Child poverty rate (AHC)
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (35%)
Worse compared to England (29.3%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 40.5%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (38%)
Income deprivation
Income deprivation (relative to London overall)
Worse compared to all London Boroughs ( 1)
Worse compared to England (0.8)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 1.44)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (1.5)
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
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (27%)
Worse compared to England (22.1%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 29%)
Worse 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)
Better 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
Average compared to all London Boroughs (0.74)
Average compared to England (0.42)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.91)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (1.25)
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 (51%)
Housing delivery
Average net affordable, social and discounted housing completions
Better compared to all London Boroughs (132)
(Data not available)
Better compared to London Planning Area (East - 135)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (190)
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 (264)
Temporary accommodation
Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000
(Data not available)
Work
Benefits
Out-of-work benefits
Average compared to all London Boroughs (12.7%)
Average compared to England (12.7%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 14.4%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (13.5%)
Low pay (resident)
Proportion of borough residents' jobs that are low paid
(Data not available)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (5.3%)
Worse compared to England (4.3%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 5.85%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (5.8%)
Unemployment rate change
Unemployment rate 3 year change
Better compared to all London Boroughs (0.2pts)
Average compared to England (0.0pts)
Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.35pts)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (0.9pts)