Overview
The City of Westminster is an inner London borough located on the north bank of the river Thames in the centre of London. Westminster is best known for being the location of the UK Parliament, with Whitehall, Buckingham Palace, and many government departments all based here. Rough sleeping is a serious issue in Westminster with 2,757 people seen by charity and volunteer staff throughout the year (2019/20) - more than 10 times higher than the typical (median) London borough (266).
Pay inequality for employees that live in Westminster is the highest in London, with earners at the 80th percentile making over three times as much as those on the 20th percentile (compared to 2.74 in London overall). Westminster performs better than average in terms of GCSE attainment, with 75.2% of pupils achieving grades 9-4 in GCSE English and Maths compared to 68.7% across London as a whole.
The grid below shows how Westminster compares against London overall on key poverty and inequality indicators. Red text denotes the fact that Westminster is worse than is typical for London on that indicator, and green means it is better.
Westminster indicator rankings
People
Infant mortality
Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Better compared to all London Boroughs (3.4)
Better compared to England (3.9)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 3)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (3.1)
Premature mortality
Deaths of <75 year olds per 100,000
Better compared to all London Boroughs (316)
Better compared to England (336)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 358)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (318)
Qualifications at 19
19 year olds without level 3 qualifications
Better compared to all London Boroughs (24.4%)
Average compared to England (27.8%)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 31%)
Better compared to nearest neighbours (29.6%)
Living standards
Child poverty rate
Child poverty rate (AHC)
Better compared to all London Boroughs (35%)
Average compared to England (29.3%)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 37%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (29%)
Income deprivation
Income deprivation (relative to London overall)
Average compared to all London Boroughs ( 1)
Average compared to England (0.8)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 1.19)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.03)
Pay inequality
80:20 ratio of earnings
(Data not available)
Poverty rate
Poverty rate
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (27%)
Worse compared to England (22.1%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 26%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (27.3%)
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 (Central - 1.87)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (1.5)
Homeless acceptances
Main homelessness duty owed per 1,000 households
Average compared to all London Boroughs (0.74)
Average compared to England (0.42)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 1.13)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (0.78)
Housing affordability
Median rent as a percentage of median pay
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (46.3%)
Worse compared to England (26.4%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 52.9%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (54%)
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 (Central - 140)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (120)
Rough sleeping
People seen sleeping rough by outreach
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (214)
(Data not available)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 268)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (238)
Temporary accommodation
Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000
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 (10.4)
Work
Benefits
Out-of-work benefits
Average compared to all London Boroughs (12.7%)
Average compared to England (12.7%)
Better compared to London Planning Area (Central - 13.2%)
Average compared to nearest neighbours (10.7%)
Low pay (resident)
Proportion of borough residents' jobs that are low paid
Better compared to all London Boroughs (20.2%)
Average compared to England (17.2%)
Average compared to London Planning Area (Central - 14.2%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (12.2%)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (5.3%)
Worse compared to England (4.3%)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 5.4%)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (4.3%)
Unemployment rate change
Unemployment rate 3 year change
Worse compared to all London Boroughs (0.2pts)
Worse compared to England (0.0pts)
Worse compared to London Planning Area (Central - 0.8pts)
Worse compared to nearest neighbours (-0.5pts)