Inner London

Last updated
Inner London
Inner London (statutory).svg
Statutory definition
Inner London (statistical).svg
Statistical definition
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country England
Region London
Administrative area Greater London
Area
 • Total123 sq mi (319 km2)
Population
 (2021 Census)
 • Total3,404,300
 • Density28,000/sq mi (11,000/km2)
NUTS UKI1

Inner London is the name for the group of London boroughs that form the interior part of Greater London and are surrounded by Outer London. With its origins in the bills of mortality, it became fixed as an area for statistics in 1847 and was used as an area of local government from 1855 to 1965 principally as the County of London or earlier as the Metropolitan Board of Works Area (metropolis). It now has two common definitions. The first is the statutory definition delineated in the London Government Act 1963, coming into force on 1 April 1965, comprising twelve Inner London boroughs and almost identical to the County of London that was abolished at the same time. [1] The second is the definition used by the Office for National Statistics comprising eleven of the statutory Inner London boroughs and two of the statutory Outer London boroughs, as well as the City of London. [2]

Contents

Inner London is smaller than Outer London both in terms of population and area, but the population density is more than double that of Outer London. Inner London is officially the wealthiest area in Europe with the most expensive street in Europe: GDP per capita is more than €80,000 [3] while the UK GDP per capita is around €27,000. [3]

History

Background

The area that is now Inner London was defined by the Registrar General as a collection of parishes called "London" and appeared in the 1851 Census. At the time the metropolitan area—commonly called the Metropolis—had its origins in the area of the Bills of mortality that had expanded from the tiny City of London into three surrounding counties[ which? ] over the previous several hundred years. The area become fixed in 1847 with the addition of Lewisham Poor Law Union and the parish of Hampstead. [4] In 1855 the Registrar General area, with the addition of Penge, was used to define the district of the Metropolitan Board of Works. [5] The Metropolis was also described as Inner London from the 1881 Census. [6] In 1889 this area became the County of London. The area was adjusted in 1900 when Penge was transferred to Kent and South Hornsey was gained from Middlesex.

London Government Act 1963

The "Inner London boroughs" were defined by the London Government Act 1963. [7] The Inner London boroughs occupied the same area as the County of London that was abolished as they were created. North Woolwich was an anomaly as it was part of the County of London, but became part of an Outer London borough.

The main difference between Inner and Outer London boroughs between 1965 and 1990 was that the councils of the inner boroughs were not local education authorities and there was a single Inner London Education Authority for the area, including the City of London. The inner borough councils became local education authorities on 1 April 1990.

The statutory definition is used as part of the grant settlement used to finance local government. [8]

The statutory Inner London boroughs are:

Newham London Borough Council argues that the municipality should be treated as part of Inner London for statutory purposes, as it is for statistical purposes (see below). [2] This would benefit the borough financially. Only the North Woolwich area of Newham fell within the former County of London, however, and the council's advocacy has not borne fruit.

The City of London was not designated as an Inner London borough, but the Corporation of London is usually classed as an inner London local authority. [9]

Statistics

Inner London population pyramid in 2021 Inner London population pyramid.svg
Inner London population pyramid in 2021

The Office for National Statistics and Eurostat define Inner London differently, explicitly including the City of London, adding Haringey and Newham, but excluding Greenwich. [10] The land area is 319 km2 (123 sq. miles) and the population at the 2021 Census was 3,404,300. [11]

Historical population
YearPopulation
1891
4,488,242
1901
4,859,558
1911
4,998,237
1921
4,972,870
1931
4,893,261
1939
4,364,457
1951
3,679,390
1961
3,492,879
1971
3,031,935
1981
2,550,100
1991
2,599,300
2001
2,859,400
2011
3,231,901
2021
3,404,300

Ethnicity

Ethnic GroupYear
1981 estimations [12] 1991 [13] 2001 [14] 2011 [15] 2021 [16]
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
White: Total2,093,02982.1%1,862,20874.4%1,816,60565.7%1,853,20957.3%1,813,91853.3%
White: British ––––1,396,75350.5%1,240,26638.4%1,130,88233.2%
White: Irish ––––93,16475,16566,808
White: Gypsy or Irish Traveller ––––––3,0551,946
White: Roma––––––––19,347
White: Other ––––326,68811.8%534,72316.5%594,93517.5%
Asian or Asian British: Total––247,9229.9%294,36110.6%515,19315.9%586,43217.2%
Asian or Asian British: Indian ––74,11885,471109,933116,889
Asian or Asian British: Pakistani ––29,29243,55959,89068,055
Asian or Asian British: Bangladeshi ––71,0242.8%128,314163,838216,8106.4%
Asian or Asian British: Chinese ––28,26438,91865,98375,259
Asian or Asian British: Other Asian––45,22437,017115,549109,419
Black or Black British: Total––336,38113.4%454,45016.4%540,18116.7%550,14016.2%
Black or Black British: African ––108,9564.4%189,991276,513314,4969.2%
Black or Black British: Caribbean ––178,0487.1%228,6918.3%173,959167,4394.9%
Black or Black British: Other Black ––49,37735,76889,70968,205
Mixed or British Mixed: Total––––107,7063.9%189,7485.9%226,3206.6%
Mixed: White and Black Caribbean––––35,85556,90060,460
Mixed: White and Black African––––18,33532,20334,224
Mixed: White and Asian––––23,65142,11452,712
Mixed: Other Mixed––––29,86558,53178,924
Other: Total––57,8272.3%54,0742.2%133,5704.1%227,3356.7%
Other: Arab––––––50,82158,171
Other: Any other ethnic group––57,82754,0742.2%82,749169,164
Non-White: Total457,07117.9%642,13025.6%910,59134.3%1,378,69242.7%1,590,22746.7%
Total2,550,100100%2,504,338100%2,766,114100%3,231,901100%3,404,145100%

Figures before 1971 have been reconstructed by the Office for National Statistics based on past censuses in order to fit the 2001 limits. Figures from 1981 onward are ONS midyear estimates (revised as of 2010). [17]

After centuries of increase, the population of Inner London reached its peak of 4,998,237 in 1911. The area's population from World War I began a steady decline as that of Outer London continued to increase. The census of 1951 showed the damage inflicted by the 1940s Blitz as the population of Greater London switched into decline which was reversed in Outer London with house building and territory expansion whereas in Inner London continued. The war damage and early 20th century slums had physical and psychological hence property price effects and focus on New Towns and suburban development reflected a drive among urban planners for greener, less dense settlements. Inner London reached a post-War nadir, a population not seen since the early 19th century in 1981 having 2,550,100 residents, after which an upward trend ensued and Inner London residents numbered 3,231,901 in 2011 — 1,766,336 short of the 1911 peak.

Strategic planning

For the purposes of the London Plan planning document produced by the Mayor of London, Inner London consists of the City of London, all the statutory Inner London boroughs, and Newham. [18]

Other definitions

London postal district shown (in red) against the Greater London boundary London Postal District.png
London postal district shown (in red) against the Greater London boundary

The area covered by the London postal district is sometimes referred to as 'Inner London'. [19] However it is not coterminous with other definitions of Inner London as its area is somewhat larger and covers 624 km2 (241 sq. miles). The southern part of the London Borough of Lewisham as well as a small part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich fall outside its boundaries whilst 44 of its 119 districts are in Outer London and its irregular shape stretches to the Greater London boundary at Mill Hill and Scratch Wood and beyond it at Sewardstone.

From 1990 to 2000 London used two separate telephone dialling codes with one code designated for Inner London, however the area covered by this code was widely different from all of the above definitions and most of Greater London is now covered by a single 020 dialling code.

Economy

There are approximately 200,000 businesses with around 2,000,000 employees in Inner London. 56% of all private sector jobs in Greater London are located in Inner London. [20] There is significant commuting of workers from Outer London and from outside Greater London. Much of the commercial activity is focused on Central London and Canary Wharf. 10% of public sector employment is focused on Westminster around the Government of the United Kingdom. [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London boroughs</span> Administrative subdivisions of Greater London

The London boroughs are the 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London, England; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at the same time as Greater London on 1 April 1965 by the London Government Act 1963 and are a type of local government district. Twelve were designated as Inner London boroughs and twenty as Outer London boroughs. The City of London, the historic centre, is a separate ceremonial county and sui generis local government district that functions quite differently from a London borough. However, the two counties together comprise the administrative area of Greater London as well as the London Region, all of which is also governed by the Greater London Authority, under the Mayor of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Bromley</span> London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Bromley is the largest and southeasternmost of the London boroughs that make up Greater London, bordering the county of Kent, which most of Bromley was part of before 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 census was 329,991. It is named after Bromley, its principal town; other major towns are Penge, Hayes, West Wickham, Chislehurst, Beckenham and Orpington. The local authority is Bromley London Borough Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Barking and Dagenham</span> London borough in United Kingdom

The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is a London borough in East London. It lies around 9 miles (14.4 km) east of Central London. It is an Outer London borough and the south is within the London Riverside section of the Thames Gateway; an area designated as a national priority for urban regeneration. At the 2011 census it had a population of 187,000, the majority of which are within the Becontree estate. The borough's three main towns are Barking, Chadwell Heath and Dagenham. The local authority is the Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council. Barking and Dagenham was one of six London boroughs to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Borough of Lewisham</span> Borough of London

Lewisham is a London borough in south-east London; it forms part of Inner London. The principal settlement of the borough is Lewisham. The local authority is Lewisham London Borough Council, based in Catford. The Prime Meridian passes through Lewisham. Blackheath, Goldsmiths, University of London and Millwall F.C. are located within the borough.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inner London Education Authority</span> Former education authority in London

The Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) was the local education authority for the City of London and the 12 Inner London boroughs from 1965 until its abolition in 1990. From 1965 to 1986 it was an ad hoc committee of the Greater London Council; on 1 April 1986 it was reconstituted as a directly elected body corporate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">County of London</span> County of England between 1889 and 1965

The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of London, which included within its territory the City of London. However, the City of London and the County of London formed separate ceremonial counties for "non-administrative" purposes. The local authority for the county was the London County Council (LCC), which initially performed only a limited range of functions, but gained further powers during its 76-year existence. The LCC provided very few services within the City of London, where the ancient Corporation monopolised local governance. In 1900, the lower-tier civil parishes and district boards were replaced with 28 new metropolitan boroughs. The territory of the county was 74,903 acres (303.12 km2) in 1961. During its existence, there was a long-term decline in population as more residents moved into the outer suburbs; there were periodic reviews of the local government structures in the greater London area and several failed attempts to expand the boundaries of the county. In 1965, the London Government Act 1963 replaced the county with the much larger Greater London administrative area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outer London</span> Outer boroughs of Greater London

Outer London is the name for the group of London boroughs that form a ring around Inner London. Together, the inner and outer boroughs form London, the capital city of the United Kingdom. The population at the 2021 Census was 5,395,500, which means over 60% of the population of Greater London lives in Outer London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central London</span> Innermost part of London, England

Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning the City of London and several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteristics are understood to include a high-density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally, nationally and internationally significant organisations and facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East London</span> Northeastern part of London, United Kingdom

East London is the northeastern part of London, England, east of the ancient City of London and north of the River Thames as it begins to widen. East London developed as London's docklands and the primary industrial centre. The expansion of railways in the 19th century encouraged the eastward expansion of the East End of London and a proliferation of new suburbs. The industrial lands of East London are today an area of regeneration, which are well advanced in places such as Canary Wharf and ongoing elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Government Act 1963</span> United Kingdom legislation

The London Government Act 1963 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which created Greater London and a new local government structure within it. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area, resulting in local authorities responsible for larger areas and populations. The upper tier of local government was reformed to cover the whole of the Greater London area and with a more strategic role; and the split of functions between upper and lower tiers was recast. The Act classified the boroughs into inner and outer London groups. The City of London and its corporation were essentially unreformed by the legislation. Subsequent amendments to the Act have significantly amended the upper tier arrangements, with the Greater London Council abolished in 1986, and the Greater London Authority introduced in 2000. As of 2016, the London boroughs are more or less identical to those created in 1965, although with some enhanced powers over services such as waste management and education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater London Built-up Area</span> Conurbation in south-east England

The Greater London Built-up Area, or Greater London Urban Area, is a conurbation in south-east England that constitutes the continuous urban sprawl of London, and includes surrounding adjacent urban towns as defined by the Office for National Statistics. It is the largest urban area in the United Kingdom with a population of 9,787,426 in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demography of London</span>

The demography of London is analysed by the Office for National Statistics and data is produced for each of the Greater London wards, the City of London and the 32 London boroughs, the Inner London and Outer London statistical sub-regions, each of the Parliamentary constituencies in London, and for all of Greater London as a whole. Additionally, data is produced for the Greater London Urban Area. Statistical information is produced about the size and geographical breakdown of the population, the number of people entering and leaving country and the number of people in each demographic subgroup. The total population of London as of 2021 is 8,799,800.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bills of mortality</span>

Bills of mortality were the weekly mortality statistics in London, designed to monitor burials from 1592 to 1595 and then continuously from 1603. The responsibility to produce the statistics was chartered in 1611 to the Worshipful Company of Parish Clerks. The bills covered an area that started to expand as London grew from the City of London, before reaching its maximum extent in 1636. New parishes were then only added where ancient parishes within the area were divided. Factors such as the use of suburban cemeteries outside the area, the exemption of extra-parochial places within the area, the wider growth of the metropolis, and that they recorded burials rather than deaths, rendered their data incomplete. Production of the bills went into decline from 1819 as parishes ceased to provide returns, with the last surviving weekly bill dating from 1858. They were superseded by the weekly returns of the Registrar General from 1840, taking in further parishes until 1847. This area became the district of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855, the County of London in 1889 and Inner London in 1965.

Lewisham was a local government district within the metropolitan area of London, England from 1855 to 1900. It was formed by the Metropolis Management Act 1855 and was governed by the Lewisham District Board of Works, which consisted of elected vestrymen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woolwich (parish)</span>

Woolwich, also known as Woolwich St Mary, was an ancient parish containing the town of Woolwich on the south bank of the Thames and North Woolwich on the north bank. The parish was governed by its vestry from the 16th century to 1852, based in the Church of St Mary until 1842, after which in the purpose-built Woolwich Town Hall. The parish adopted the Public Health Act 1848 and was governed by the Woolwich Local Board of Health from 1852. When the parish became part of the district of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 the local board was treated as if it were an incorporated vestry. It was in the county of Kent until it was transferred to London in 1889. In 1900 it was amalgamated with other parishes to form the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich and had only nominal existence until it was abolished as a civil parish in 1930. Since 1965 it has been split between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Newham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewisham London Borough Council</span>

Lewisham London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Lewisham in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of Lewisham, currently Damien Egan. Lewisham is divided into 19 wards, each electing two or three councillors. There are currently 16 three member wards and 3 two member wards. Following the May 2018 election, Lewisham London Borough Council comprises 54 Labour Party councillors. The council was created by the London Government Act 1963 and replaced two local authorities: Deptford Metropolitan Borough Council and Lewisham Metropolitan Borough Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater London</span> Administrative area, ceremonial county and region of England

Greater London is the administrative area of London, England, coterminous with the London region. It contains 33 local government districts: the 32 London boroughs, which form a ceremonial county also called Greater London, and the City of London. The Greater London Authority is responsible for strategic local government across the region, and regular local government is the responsibility of the borough councils and the City of London Corporation. Greater London is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Hertfordshire to the north, Essex to the north-east, Kent to the south-east, Surrey to the south, and Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to the west.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the city known as London:

References

  1. ↑ Saint, A., Politics and the people of London: the London County Council (1889–1965), (1989)
  2. 1 2 Newham London Borough Council Archived 2007-06-30 at the Wayback Machine – Positively Inner London
  3. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2013-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ↑ "1861 Census: General Report". Vision of Britain. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  5. ↑ Davis, J., Reforming London: The London Government Problem, 1855–1900, (1988)
  6. ↑ "1881 Census: General Report". Vision of Britain. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  7. ↑ Office of Public Sector Information – London Government Act 1963 (c.33) (as amended) Archived 2008-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "Local authority lower tier boundaries – Greater London". Archived from the original on 2010-05-31.
  9. ↑ "List of inner/outer London boroughs". London Councils. Archived from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Inner London through time: Administrative History (post 1974)". A vision of Britain through time. Great Britain Historical GIS. Archived from the original on 2019-07-08. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
  11. ↑ "Population and household estimates, England and Wales: Census 2021". Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  12. ↑ Equality, Commission for Racial (1985). "Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement". Commission for Racial Equality: Table 2.2.
  13. ↑ Data is taken from United Kingdom Casweb Data services of the United Kingdom 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for England, Scotland and Wales (Table 6)
  14. ↑ "Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
  15. ↑ "2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  16. ↑ "Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics". www.ons.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  17. ↑ Neighbourhood Statistics Archived 3 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 12 July 2010
  18. ↑ Mayor of London. London Plan: Chapter 2 (PDF). Greater London Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-06.
  19. ↑ HMSO, The Inner London Letter Post, (1980)
  20. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2014-01-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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