Poor children are more likely to realise their full potential if they live in a London borough than anywhere else in the country, new figures claim.
A report reveals the UK’s top 10 places for social mobility are all in London, with Westminster at the top of the list.
Statistics from the cross-party Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission show the capital pulling away from the rest of the country, with cities like Oxford and Cambridge in the bottom 20% of areas.
The report ranked every local authority in the country according to the chances of a poor child doing well at school and getting a good job, based on measures like exam results and the local job market.
Top 10 places in the UK for social mobility
1. Westminster
2. Wandsworth
3. Redbridge
4. Tower Hamlets
5. Islington
6. Hackney
7. Kensington and Chelsea
8. Ealing
9. Barnet
10. Hammersmith and Fulham
Source: Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission
In all, 23 of the capital’s 32 boroughs ranked in the top 10 per cent, with the “London effect” extending out into the commuter belts of Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
Wandsworth was second in the top 10, followed by Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Islington.
Hackney was sixth on the list with Kensington and Chelsea close behind, followed by Ealing and Barnet, with Hammersmith and Fulham ranked 10th. No London boroughs were in the bottom 20 per cent.
The report claims the capital’s dominance was due to strong results from school and the number of jobs, coupled with fast transport links
However, the one area London did fall back on was the affordability of housing.
In a foreword to the report, published today, commission chairman Alan Milburn said: “This report is a wake-up call for educators and employers as well as policy-makers, both local and national.
“If social mobility is to take off, much more will need to be done if there is to be a level playing field of opportunity in our country.
"The gulf between the ambition of a One Nation Britain and today's reality of a Divided Britain is far too wide."
A Department for Education spokesman said: "All of our reforms are underpinned by a total commitment to fairness and social justice.
“That is why raising standards for every child, regardless of circumstances, is part of our plan to ensure everyone can achieve their full potential.”
