Waltham Forest

Overview

Waltham Forest is an outer London borough in the north east of the city. Over the past three years, the unemployment rate has increased in Waltham Forest very slightly, whereas it has fallen by 1.2 percentage points across London. This means that unemployment in Waltham Forest is one of the highest in London at 6.2% compared to 4.9% in the capital overall. 

GCSE attainment is a little below average with 64% of pupils achieving grade 9-4 in English and Maths compared to 69% for London overall.

Waltham Forest has performed reasonably well at delivering new social and affordable housing, with 290 new units completed over the past two years where the London average is 110. This should, however, be seen in the context of the size and density of the borough. 

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

Waltham Forest indicator rankings

People

Infant mortality

Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births

3.4

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 (3.5)

Premature mortality

Deaths of <75 year olds per 100,000

329

Average compared to all London Boroughs (316)

Average compared to England (336)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 341)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (315)

Qualifications at 19

19 year olds without level 3 qualifications

30%

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 (26.9%)

Data sources and methods

Living standards

Child poverty rate

Child poverty rate (AHC)

43%

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 (37%)

Income deprivation

Income deprivation (relative to London overall)

1.14

Average compared to all London Boroughs ( 1)

Average compared to England (0.8)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 1.44)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.11)

Pay inequality

80:20 ratio of earnings

2.47

Average compared to all London Boroughs (2.64)

Worse compared to England (1.94)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 2.58)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (2.55)

Poverty rate

Poverty rate

27%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (27%)

Average compared to England (22.1%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 29%)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (34%)

Data sources and methods

Housing

Evictions

Repossessions per 1,000 households

2.99

Average compared to all London Boroughs (2.42)

Worse compared to England (1.51)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 2.87)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (3.45)

Homeless acceptances

Main homelessness duty owed per 1,000 households

1.25

Worse compared to all London Boroughs (0.74)

Worse compared to England (0.42)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.91)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (0.53)

Housing affordability

Median rent as a percentage of median pay

41.6%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (46.3%)

Worse compared to England (26.4%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 42.05%)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (43.4%)

Housing delivery

Average net affordable, social and discounted housing completions

190

Average compared to all London Boroughs (132)

(Data not available)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 135)

Average compared to nearest neighbours (140)

Rough sleeping

People seen sleeping rough by outreach

153

Average compared to all London Boroughs (214)

(Data not available)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 206)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (247)

Temporary accommodation

Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000

10.8

Average compared to all London Boroughs (16.4)

Average compared to England ( 4)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 19.3)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (24.45)

Data sources and methods

Shared opportunity

GCSE attainment

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 9-4

68.7%

Worse compared to all London Boroughs (75.6%)

Average compared to England (72.2%)

Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 73.95%)

Worse compared to nearest neighbours (74.9%)

No qualifications

Proportion with no qualifications

3.5

Better compared to all London Boroughs (6.7)

Better compared to England (7.4)

Better compared to London Planning Area (East - 6.3)

Average compared to nearest neighbours ( 5)

Data sources and methods

Work

Benefits

Out-of-work benefits

13.9%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (12.7%)

Average compared to England (12.7%)

Average compared to London Planning Area (East - 14.4%)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (15.8%)

Low pay (resident)

Proportion of borough residents' jobs that are low paid

17.7%

Average compared to all London Boroughs (20.2%)

Average compared to England (17.2%)

Better compared to London Planning Area (East - 23%)

Better compared to nearest neighbours (26.1%)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate

8.1%

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 (5.9%)

Unemployment rate change

Unemployment rate 3 year change

4.2pts

Worse compared to all London Boroughs (0.2pts)

Worse compared to England (0.0pts)

Worse compared to London Planning Area (East - 0.35pts)

Data sources and methods