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Health of North West London

NW London is a diverse area with 2.4m people from more than 200 ethnicities with 12.3% of the population are over the age of 65 (national average is 19%). 36.9is the average age (national average is 39.

There are significant health challenges and inequalities in health status and life expectancy across NW London

  • Life expectancy is 7.2 years lower for men and 5.5 years lower for women in the most deprived areas of Hillingdon than in the least deprived areas.
  • Life expectancy at birth (for men) in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea varies by more than 12 years.
  • 1 in 10 people have diabetes or non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (NDH) (1 in 16 nationally).
  • 1 in 5 adults (18+) has two or more long-term conditions compared to 1 in 4 nationally.
  • Alcohol admissions in Ealing are above the average in England, with 2,200 admissions a year per 100,000 people (England 1,815).
  • Rates of emergency hospital admissions for self-harm are twice as high in Hounslow as they are Harrow.
  • 50% of all adults (over 18) are overweight – ranging from 48% in Westminster to 62.4% in Hillingdon (63% nationally).
  • 1 in 4 of our 10-11 year-olds are obese (1 in 5 nationally).
  • 17.1% of people in Hillingdon smoke, versus 9.2% in Ealing (13% across NW London - 14% nationally).
  • 38,000+ (11%) children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years have a mental health disorder (12% nationally).

There are also considerable challenges across NW London in the wider social determinants of health

Across NW London

  • 152% rise in unemployment in NW London between March 20 - June 21 (Across England unemployment increased by 25% over the same time
  • 28.6% of people do not have English as first language (8% nationally)
  • 8.7% households are overcrowded (3.5% nationally)

Variation across boroughs

  • Kensington and Chelsea has the greatest income inequality in London.
  • 29% of children in Westminster are from low income families, versus 13.9% in Harrow (16% nationally).
  • Nearly four times as many children live in poverty in Hammersmith and Fulham’s poorest ward 45% as in the richest ward 12.2% (30% nationally).
  • Deprivation indexes range from 65 in Brent to 156 in Harrow (IMD rank).
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