Lockdown risks increasing inequalities in London, report finds

The current coronavirus lockdown is hitting people in the capital hard, but the city retains its appeal as a place to live, according to a new survey.

The survey is the first quarterly snapshot of Londoners by Centre for London, in partnership with Savanta.

The survey found nearly half of Londoners (45%) have seen their disposable income fall since the beginning of the crisis, while one in six Londoners (17%) have seen their income increase. This compares to 44% and 13% across the UK.

Almost a third (28%) of Londoners report they are struggling to make ends meet.

This is highest for people with a disability (45%), parents with children aged under 18 (38 %), people who are new to the city (37%), part-time workers and renters (both 36%).

But despite these experiences, Londoners remain positive about their city and perhaps counter-intuitively are not expecting to move out, according to the survey.

Looking to the year ahead, Londoners are more concerned about their finances (29% are pessimistic) than about their health (17%).

But a third (38%) of Londoners are optimistic about their employment and 40% are optimistic about their financial prospects over the coming year.

Remote working could allow more workers to live outside the capital, but most Londoners expect to continue living in the city over the next 12 months. Around two thirds (65%) said they are happy living in London and only 8% say they are likely to leave the capital in the coming year.

‘The experience of the pandemic has been very different for different Londoners depending on individual circumstance,’ said researcher, Erica Belcher.

‘While some Londoners have been relatively sheltered from the economic fallout so far, many have seen a hit to their finances – and many of these were already struggling.

‘Londoners remain broadly positive about their future in the city, but many could be facing real hardship once temporary measures protecting from income loss and eviction are phased out,’ she added.

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