People and place

People

To better address the diverse needs of Westminster, we developed a borough story outlining our shared understanding of local needs and requirements. This helps us identify priorities for action, ensuring that initiatives and services are delivered in a way tailored to our communities' needs. 

Westminster has a varied population with diverse needs. The area is home to a significant number of young working-age residents, high levels of international migration, and cultural diversity. There are also significant financial disparities within the borough. 

Residents' health is closely linked to the levels of deprivation they face. Deprivation is assessed by considering conditions determining a healthy life, including employment, education, health, crime, and the environment.  

Knightsbridge & Belgravia feature some of the country's most affluent neighbourhoods, while Queen's Park, Church Street and Westbourne have some of the most deprived. Specifically, areas like Queens Park and Mozart Estate (Queens Park), Lisson Green Estate (Church Street) and Warwick and Brindley Road Estates (Westbourne) suffer from increased levels of deprivation. Understanding and addressing these disparities are crucial steps in enhancing our community's physical health and mental wellbeing. 

Residents

Westminster is home to over 205,000 people, 45% of whom are from a global majority background. 26% of residents do not have English as their main language. Arabic is the second most commonly spoken language after English, but there is great variation across all wards. In the 2021 Census, 4% of residents reported that they could not speak English well or at all.

Whilst the number of children living in the borough is expected to decline in the next 20 years, the number of people aged 65 or over is expected to increase. There are 153,365 residents of working age (75%).  

Westminster's population change is very high: 22% did not live at the same address as the year before, among the highest in England. This is enabled by a sizeable private rental sector (43% of households). International migration is also the highest in England, with over 20,000 Westminster residents arriving in the UK within the past two years, 10% of the borough's total population.  

The 2021 Census population is 24% lower than previous estimates. However, the proportion of residents whose main language is English has increased (from 69% to 74%), and the proportion of residents who say they have no religion has increased (from 20% to 26%). 

In terms of employment, Westminster's 2021 unemployment rate was 5.0%, similar to the London average (5.6%). The average annual income in the most deprived wards is £27,000 (Church Street) compared to £56,000 in more affluent areas around Knightsbridge. Even within the same neighbourhood, rich and poor households live in close proximity. One in four homes in London are at risk due to the cost of living crisis. 

Westminster has the country's highest life expectancy for males and the third highest for women. The average man lives to 85 years and the average woman to 87 years. This average disguises the variation in how long and how well residents across the borough live. Westminster has the highest life expectancy gap in the country for males. The gap for females is in line with the national average, but it is the third highest in London. In Knightsbridge and Belgravia, a man is expected to live 18 years longer than a man in Westbourne. A woman is expected to live nine years longer in Knightsbridge and Belgravia than in Westbourne. 

Place

Westminster is a global city at the heart of the nation’s capital. The daytime population, including tourists, can be up to 1 million, which is the highest daytime population of any London Borough, including residents, employees and visitors. 

At a glance... 

• Westminster has over 200 identified parks and open spaces ranging from large multifunctional areas to small ornamental garden squares and pocket parks.  
• There is a busy road network within the borough and poor air quality is a risk to health for all, most particularly for children and those with underlying health conditions. All our air quality monitoring sites do not meet World Health Organisation guidelines for levels of particulate matter.  
• We estimate that approximately 31,000 households in Westminster on means-tested benefits are acutely exposed to the cost-of-living crisis. Local help can be found on the Cost of Living hub.  
• There are 26,810 social rented households, over half of which (14,392) are Housing Association properties. The remainder is Westminster Housing properties including Queens Park, Mozart Estate (Queens Park), Lisson Green Estate (Church Street), Warwick and Brindley Road Estates (Westbourne), Hallfield Estate (Bayswater) and Churchill Gardens (Pimlico South).  
• The life expectancy for someone sleeping on the street is 30 to 40 years less than average. 2,000 people were seen rough sleeping in Westminster in 22/23.  
• We have some of the best schools in London, but with a quarter of children living in poverty, there are significant disadvantages for families to overcome in order to ensure that children have the best start.