Levelling Up in London – Phase 1 Report
Think tank: Centre for London
Author(s): Claire Harding; Josh Cottell; Daniel Hakan Urquijo
June 29, 2022
This report from UK think tank the Centre for London looks at challenges for London and Londoners in levelling up.
This report sets out what London’s levelling up needs are, how Londoners are affected by the levelling up agenda, and the challenge of getting a hearing for these issues. With its focus on addressing geographic inequality, the government’s levelling up agenda has paid little attention to inequalities within London and the difficulties that many Londoners face. We are worried that this could lead to reductions in government funding for London, deepening inequalities in the city and making life even harder for the most vulnerable. London has acute levelling up needs of its own. Some Londoners are very wealthy, but others live in deep poverty. People from some ethnic groups, women, families with children, and disabled people are at higher risk of living in poverty. A shortage of funds for affordable social and affordable homes, transport, and public services in London may worsen these issues in the coming years. Local authorities and the GLA are well-placed to address these issues, but cuts to funding for local authorities across England has made it harder for them to address levelling up priorities.