The sixth issue of The London Intelligence finds that London's economy continues to prove resilient in the face of political uncertainty.
The London Intelligence is a quarterly review of the state of the city. Each issue analyses the most up-to-date data on London and highlights emerging trends.
Economy
Economic performance remains strong, with higher job numbers, lower unemployment and stable demand for commercial property and business activity levels. Workforce jobs continued to increase to a total of 5.92 million – the highest number of jobs since this time series started in 1996.
Housing
London’s housing market is in a lull. There’s been a modest growth in average house prices, a large drop in transaction volumes and an overall decline in private housing rents. In the quarter to August 2018 transaction volumes dropped 23 per cent on the previous year.
Society
Brexit concerns are growing, with just under half of Londoners naming it as a top concern. International visitor numbers have declined, though visitor spending has risen. Road casualty numbers have seen little change, but there has been an increase in violent crimes.
Healthcare and Environment
Demand pressures on London’s healthcare system have grown steadily this quarter, with increased GP referrals to specialists, delays in A&E and delayed discharges. Air pollution showed signs of improvement, with particulate matter dropping below WHO limits.
Education
London pupils continue to outperform England at GCSE level, but at the end of 16-18 education, English pupils perform slightly better on average than Londoners. Despite overall apprenticeship numbers rising, completion rates remain low.