Unemployment rate by London borough

Last updated: March 2025
Next update: June 2025

What does this indicator show?

Unemployed people are not working but are actively trying to find a job. This indicator shows the unemployment rate for people aged 16+ in each London borough.

What does it tell us?

The unemployment rate varies across London boroughs with the highest rates in 2024 Q3 around nearly 4 percentage points higher than the lowest. Barking and Dagenham (7.3%), and Newham (6.7%) contrast with Bexley Waltham Forest (3.6%) and Kingston-upon-Thames (3.7%)

Compared to the previous year, most boroughs saw increases, some quite large. Camden, Newham, Haringey and Lambeth all saw their unemployment rates increase by more than 1.5 percentage points. A few boroughs saw decreases, notably Hillingdon, Enfield and Waltham Forest - all decreasing by more than 1.3 percentage points.

The figures presented here for the London boroughs are modelled estimates of unemployment for the 12 months to September of each year. The figure for the London average is based on responses to the Annual Population Survey. The unemployment rate is the proportion of economically active people (that is those either employed or unemployed) who are unemployed.

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