JSNA People

1.1 Key Points

Wandsworth is home to an estimated 341,715 residents in 2026 ¹, the second largest population in Inner London. Wandsworth is a large Inner London borough with a mobile, young, educated and economically active population. By 2036 the population is expected to increase to 358,958 ¹.

Since 2011 Census, Wandsworth population has increased by 6.7%. The previous increase between 2001 and 2011 was 17.9%. Since 2011, London’s population increased by 7.7%:

• Borough population grew by 20,505 residents from 2011 to 2021

• Wandsworth remained as the 8th largest borough in London; it is the 2nd largest borough in Inner London (after Newham).

• The median age in the borough is 33 years, lower than London (36 years) and England (40 years).

• Wandsworth is a popular place to live among young adults. Wandsworth currently has the 3rd highest percentage of 20-44 year olds in London (50%). Highest was Tower Hamlets (54.7%) then Islington.

• The borough has got older overall with the largest relative increase seen in the 45-64 year age group ².

• Local population increase is currently driven by natural change (more birth than deaths) and in the next 10 years will be driven by large new housing developments such as Nine Elms

• Under the latest 2024-based projections the borough’s population is projected to increase by 5.0% by 2036, with growth concentrated in Nine Elms (+55.0%) and Falconbrook (+14.9%); 12 of 22 wards are projected to grow, while 10 see small declines

• In absolute terms the biggest increase is among adults aged 20–39 (projected to increase by 6.1%, around 9,200 more people), followed by those aged 60–79 (around 6,600 more people); the largest percentage increases are in the oldest age groups, with the population aged 85+ projected to grow by around 34% by 2036

• Growth is not shared across all ages: the population aged under 20 is projected to decrease by 9.2% (around 5,800 fewer children and young people), with the steepest fall among 10–14 year olds (a decrease of 16.0%)

• The ethnic minority population will stay relatively similar at around 30%, and among children, children from ethnic minority groups will continue to make up almost 45% of the under 18 population.

The largest ethnic group in Wandsworth is White British. Almost 1 in 3 residents are from ethnic minority backgrounds (excluding White minorities), a lower proportion than the average for London and Inner London. The ethnic minority population is younger, with a higher proportion of children and fewer older people: 45% of Wandsworth’s children are from ethnic minority groups, compared with 30% of the whole population.

The Wandsworth population is quite dynamic with a large proportion of people moving to and from London boroughs, other parts of UK, EU and beyond. During the last 10 years, 344,543 people moved into the Borough from within the UK. 360,038 moved out (net change of -15,495) and a further 66,801 international migrants moved out and 74,678 people moved in (net change of +7,877). During the same time-period there were 56,707 births and 17,010 deaths for net natural change of +39,697.

Over the past 10 years, population increase in Wandsworth was driven by one of the highest rates of natural change (more births than deaths) in London and–to a lesser degree–net positive international migration. Over the next 10 years, net natural change will continue, with further contribution from migration from other parts of London and the UK into the new housing developments in the borough.

Overall, the international migration into Wandsworth has been decreasing. Non-UK born residents make up around 38% of the population (Census 2021). The highest number of non-UK born population come from Poland (n=6,814), South Africa (n=6,468), Ireland (n=5,781), Australia (n=5,620), Pakistan (n=5,346) and India (n=4,137). In recent years, working-age international arrivals to Wandsworth have tended to be European with the highest number of national insurance numbers (NINos) registered to adult non-UK residents during 2018/19, were to Italians (n=1202), Spanish (n=667), Australians (n=643) and French (n=462).

As the population in Wandsworth is young most residents are not married or in civil partnerships, and compared to London, household sizes are smaller and fewer households have children. Almost 1 in 3 residents live alone. Of the almost 150,000 properties in Wandsworth, over two-thirds are flats, and almost a third of the households rent privately.

Fertility is dropping across UK and the developed world, and this trend is also reflected locally in recent years. About half the children born in Wandsworth are born to mothers born outside the UK.

Working-age adults in Wandsworth are among some of the most educated in the country, with almost two-thirds (62.6% of residents aged 16 and over at the 2021 Census) holding a degree-level qualification or above. Wandsworth children perform similarly to or better than London children in terms of educational attainment.

Wandsworth borough has one of the highest employment rates in London, at almost 83%, which is higher than London and England. Residents are much more likely to be managers, directors, professionals and in technical jobs (70.7%) compared to London (58.4%). This is because the area is a popular place of residence for those starting jobs in Westminster, the City and Canary Wharf.

Wandsworth is among the less deprived local authorities in England. In the English Indices of Deprivation 2025, the borough ranked 193rd of 296 lower-tier local authorities on the overall Index of Multiple Deprivation, placing it within the least deprived 35% nationally and the 8th least deprived of the 33 London local authorities — an improvement on 2019, when it ranked 10th least deprived in London. None of Wandsworth’s 186 neighbourhoods (Lower-layer Super Output Areas) fall within the 10% most deprived in England, and 72% now sit within the least deprived half nationally, up from 62% in 2019. Wandsworth ranks among the least deprived London boroughs for five of the seven deprivation domains — Income, Employment, Education, Skills & Training, Health Deprivation & Disability, and Barriers to Housing & Services — and is particularly strong for Education, Skills & Training, where it is among the 4% least deprived areas in England (3rd least deprived in London). ³

In contrast, Wandsworth is among the most deprived areas for the Living Environment domain, which reflects the quality of housing and the local outdoor environment (including air quality and road safety). The borough ranks among the 10 most deprived local authorities in England on this domain — around the 7th most deprived in London — a pattern shared across much of inner London, with just over a quarter of its neighbourhoods (28%) in the 10% most deprived nationally. Wandsworth also remains relatively deprived nationally on the IDAOPI (Income Deprivation Affecting Older People Index), ranking among the most deprived 10% of areas in England, although it sits closer to the middle of the London distribution (16th least deprived of 33). IDAOPI measures the proportion of all those aged 60 or over who experience income deprivation and is a subset of the Income Deprivation Domain, which measures the proportion of the population in an area experiencing deprivation relating to low income.

Wandsworth performs well compared to other London boroughs for most indicators, such as pay inequality, low pay, unemployment, and housing delivery. The poverty rate of 21.5% is below the London average (27.0%). Residents working full-time earned a median of £54,584 in 2025, well above the London (£46,414) and England (£39,243) averages; median full-time pay was £61,674 for men and £48,145 for women ⁴. In August 2026, 4.0% of Wandsworth residents aged 16–64 (10,070 people) were claiming unemployment-related benefits (the claimant count), the 7th lowest of London’s 32 boroughs (see section 4.4).

New-born males can expect to live up to 80.5 years and females, 85.2 years (2023–25), an increase of 4.9 years and 5.0 years since 2001–03, respectively. Wandsworth residents are living longer than ever before but in recent years the rate of increase in life expectancy has slowed both locally and in England. Healthy life expectancy is 63.8 years for both males and females (2022–24). In recent years, healthy life expectancy, that is life without serious illness, has remained broadly flat, while the number of years lived in poor health has risen. In Wandsworth and nationally, life expectancy is lower in areas of higher deprivation. Males in the most deprived areas of the borough live around 7.4 years less and females around 5.2 years less than those in more affluent areas (2022–24).

Locally there were 1,742 premature deaths (2023–25) with cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory conditions among the leading causes. Premature deaths, that is deaths before 75 years, have dropped in Wandsworth over the past two decades but there is considerable room for improvement.

Most of the local population report leading happy and worthwhile lives, scoring better than the London average, but there is a subset of around one in five who reported low happiness, satisfaction, and high anxiety scores.

1.2 Population Size and Density

Wandsworth is home to an estimated 341,715 residents ⁵, the second largest population in Inner London. Wandsworth is a large Inner London borough with a mobile, young, educated and economically active population. By 2036 the population is expected to increase to 358,958. As shown in the figure below, the population percentage for all age groups below 20 years of age and above 45 years is smaller than expected from the London average. However, for ages 25 to 39 the proportion of Wandsworth residents is significantly higher than in London–this is particularly visible in females aged 25–34.

1.3 Population Projections

The GLA population projections suggest that Wandsworth’s population will continue to grow but at a lower rate compared to other London Boroughs. Within 10 years’ time the population is predicted to increase by 5.0% from 341,715 in 2026 to 358,958 in 2036, compared with the projected population increase of 5.2% in London population by 2036.

• Wandsworth has the third highest natural change (birth minus deaths) in London
• The borough is home to large new housing developments such as Nine Elms and Ram Quarter in Fairfield
• Due to good transportation connections and large rental stock the borough is an attractive option for those moving to London to work in the City, Canary Wharf and Westminster.

As is the trend in England and London, the population in Wandsworth is getting older. As shown in the figure below, over the next 10 years:

• Children and Young People: 0–19 year olds are projected to decrease by 9.2% in the next decade (from 63,389 in 2026 to 57,567 in 2036), whilst the overall number of children and young people aged under 20 will decrease by 9.0% in London.

• Young Adults: The 20–39 age group is expected to increase by 6.1% (from 149,086 in 2026 to 158,252 in 2036). This is in contrast to a 7.3% increase in London.

• Middle Age: A 6.4% increase is projected for the 40–59 age group by 2036 (from 79,209 in 2026 to 84,299 in 2036), in comparison with a 7.1% increase in London.

• Older Adults: The biggest increase is seen within the older age groups with a 16.2% increase in 60–79 year olds by 2036 (from 40,667 in 2026 to 47,242 in 2036) - compared with a 14.3% increase in London - and a 23.8% increase in 80+ year olds (from 9,364 in 2026 to 11,598 in 2036), which is a smaller increase than in London (27.6%).

Source: © GLA 2024-based demographic projections (housing-led, central variant). housing_led_2024_central_ward. Figures for 2026 and projection to 2036.

With respect to population increases at ward level (as shown in the figure below):

• The greatest projected population increase is expected in the ward of Nine Elms, where the total population grows by 55.0% by 2036, from 9,735 in 2026 to 15,086. This increase is driven by large property development.
• Another ward with notably large increase in population is Falconbrook with a 14.9% increase, from 12,876 to 14,800.
• 10 out of 22 Wandsworth’s wards are projected to decrease in population between 2026 and 2036; Northcote, West Hill and Furzedown are expected to see the largest falls, of around 2.8%, over the next decade.

Source: © GLA 2024-based demographic projections (housing-led, central variant). housing_led_2024_central_ward. Figures for 2026 and projection to 2036.

Based on the GLA 2016-based ethnic group population projections for Wandsworth, an increasing trend is expected for all ethnic groups (as shown in the figure below):

• Over the next 10 years, the highest percentage increase is expected in the Arab ethnic group (18.2%), with several Mixed and Black African groups also among the fastest-growing (all around 13%).
• The lowest growth is expected in the Bangladeshi (4.8%), Indian (6.2%) and Chinese (6.4%) ethnic groups (all below 7% increase between 2026 and 2036).

Source: © GLA 2016-based ethnic group projections (housing-led), published 2017 – projected change, 2026 to 2036

1.4 Sex and Gender

In 2026 the borough’s population is made up of 52.9% females (n=180,896) and 47.1% males (n=160,819). The female population is expected to increase by 6.1% by 2036, while the male population is expected to increase by 3.9% over the same 10-year period ¹.

The proportion of women and men are roughly equal across the life-course age-bands until later in life. As women experience longer life expectancy than men, by the time people are aged 75 years and over, one starts to see a shift in balance between the proportion of both genders (59% female, 41% male). There are estimated to be more females living alone in Wandsworth in 2026 than males and these numbers are projected to increase by 2036.

Source: © GLA 2024-based demographic projections (housing-led, central variant; housing_led_2024_central_ward).

1.5 Age Structure

Based on the latest GLA 2024-based projections, the median age in the borough is 33 years — lower than London (36 years) and England (40 years). In 2026, around 14% of residents are children aged under 15 and 10% are aged 65 or over. Over the next decade the population is projected to age: the number of residents aged 65 and over is projected to rise by around 24%, and those aged 85 and over by around 34%, by 2036. The table below summarises the borough’s population by age band for 2026 and the projection to 2036.

Source: © GLA 2024-based demographic projections (housing-led, central variant; housing_led_2024_central_ward).

The ward-level maps below (2021 Census) show the distribution of age groups across the borough. At the 2021 Census, 17% of Wandsworth’s population were under 14 years of age, with the greatest proportion found in the wards of Southfields and West Hill. Roehampton ward has the highest proportion of 15–19-year-olds and 20–24-year-olds.

Queenstown ward has the highest proportion of 25–39-year-olds as well as 40–49-year-olds. The wards with the greatest proportion of 50–64-year-olds are St Mary’s Park and Furzedown wards. St Mary’s Park also has the highest proportion of 65+ year olds.

Age groups (years)	Heat map
Under 14: 6% of the borough’s population is made up of children aged under 5 10% is made up of 5-14 year-olds Greatest numbers can be seen within the wards of Roehampton, Furzedown and Northcote
15-19 year-olds: 4% of the borough is made up of 15–19 year-olds Greatest numbers can be seen within the wards of Roehampton, Furzedown and West Hill
20-24 year-olds: 20–24 year-olds take up 7% of the borough’s population Greatest numbers can be seen within the wards of Roehampton, Tooting Broadway and Tooting Bec
25-39 year-olds: Most of the 25-39 population are 25-29 year olds (15%); 30-34 year olds (12%), 35-39 year-olds (9%). Together they make up 36% of the borough’s population Wandsworth Town, Balham, and Tooting Broadway have the greatest numbers
40-49 year-olds: 14% of the local population are made up of this age group Battersea Park, West Hill and Furzedown have the greatest numbers in this age group
50-64 year-olds: 14% of the local population are made up of residents aged 50-64 Furzedown, Battersea Park and West Putney have the greatest numbers in this age group
65-74 year-olds: 5% of the borough are made up of population aged 65-74 West Putney, Battersea Park and Furzedown have the greatest numbers in this age group
75-84 year-olds: 3% of the borough are made up of population aged 75-84 West Putney, Battersea Park and Furzedown have the greatest numbers in this age group
85+ year-olds: 1.2% of the borough are made up of population aged 85 and over West Putney, Battersea Park and Balham have the greatest numbers in this age group

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand Population Explorer.

Scale: Colour scale ranges from light (lower values) to dark (higher values).

1.6 Ethnicity

Detailed breakdown of ethnic groups by age, gender, ward and LSOA, and projections up to 2050 can be found on DataWand.

Wandsworth is an ethnically diverse Borough when compared to England, however, compared to London and Inner London, Wandsworth has much higher proportion of White British population.

In Wandsworth in 2026, 7 out of 10 residents were White (British, Irish, or other) (as shown on the figure and table below). 46% of the local population was White British, a much larger proportion than in London (37%). Around 30% of the residents were from ethnic minority groups (excluding White minorities), a lower proportion than Inner London and London. Major specific ethnic groups, other than White British, in Wandsworth are Black African, Black Caribbean and Pakistani.

In Wandsworth in 2026, 30.4% (n=109,705) of the total population are projected to be from ethnic minority groups (excluding White minorities). This proportion is 31.7% lower than the London average of 44.5%.

Source: © GLA 2016-based ethnic group projections (housing-led), published 2017 – projected figures for 2026

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

Ethnic Minority Population by Ward

The ethnic minority population is higher in the South and North East of the borough (as shown on the map below). The highest proportions are in Falconbrook (52%), Roehampton (46%) and Tooting Broadway (44%). Northcote and Thamesfield have the highest proportion of White ethnic groups (83% and 81% respectively). Detailed geographic breakdown at Ward level and lower can be found on DataWand.

Ward map showing the distribution of ethnic minority groups across the Borough, 2021 Census

Source: Data Wand, Population Explorer

Scale: Colour scale ranges from light (lower values) to darker (higher values).

1.7 Non-UK Born Population

Based on 2021 Census, 62% of Wandsworth’s population was born in the UK (n=203,322), compared with 59% in London. Compared to London, a smaller proportion of local population were born outside of Europe (22% in Wandsworth and 25% in London) (as shown in the table below).

The largest proportion of migrants to Wandsworth were born in Middle East and Asia (8.5% of the total population), followed by Africa (6.2%) and Americas and the Caribbean (5.6%). The higher ratio of recent to longer term migrations may be because Wandsworth has high population turnover and new arrivals may leave for other areas in UK or internationally, over time.

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

1.8 Religion

Religion and religious institutions continue to play a role in Wandsworth residents social, cultural, and spiritual lives.

The 2021 Census showed that:

• Less than half (42.6%) the borough is Christian. It is still the largest religion in Wandsworth, but has reduced by -10% points since 2011. This proportion is higher than in London (40.7%), but lower than England (46.3%). • One in three (36.2%) of the borough’s residents reported No Religion, an increase of 9.2% points since 2011. This proportion is higher than London (27.1%) and England (36.7%). • Islam is the second largest religion in the borough (9.9%) - up from 8.1% the decade before.

Detailed breakdown, based on 2021 Census, at Ward and LSOA level, age and gender can be found on DataWand; the overall Wandsworth’s figures can be found in the table below.

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

1.9 Marriage and Civil Partnership

Detailed breakdown, based on 2021 Census, at Ward and LSOA level, age and gender can be found on DataWand and in the table below. Marriage and civil partnership are described by reference to the legal definitions. It includes a person (or persons) who is (are) married or is (are) a civil partner (or civil partners).

In Wandsworth, according to 2021 Census, majority of residents were single (55.8%), unlike London (46.2%) and England (37.9%). This is likely due to younger age of the local population. Locally, around a third of the residents were married or in civil partnership (33%), which is lower than London (40%) and England (44.7%).

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

1.10 Conception and Birth Rate

Fertility has been falling across the UK and other developed countries over the past decade, and this trend is clearly reflected locally. The number of live births in Wandsworth fell by around a quarter between 2013 (5,152 births) and 2022 (3,812), the lowest figure in the series. The number has since broadly stabilised — 3,924 in 2023, 3,848 in 2024 and 3,964 in 2025. Nationally, live births across England and Wales rose slightly in 2024 (the first annual increase since 2021) before easing again in 2025. About half the children born in Wandsworth are born to mothers who were born outside the UK, despite non-UK born residents making up around 31% of the population.

Source: ONS, Live births in England and Wales down to local authority area, via NOMIS (2013–2025).

In 2025, 2,024 live births within the borough were to UK-born mothers and 1,939 (48.9%) were to non-UK-born mothers, compared with 57.8% across Inner London and 35.5% in England. The most common places of birth among non-UK-born mothers were the EU (13.3% of all live births), the Middle East and Asia (12.7%) and the rest of the world (10.2%), which includes the Americas and the Caribbean, and Antarctica and Oceania ⁹.

Most births, 73%, in 2017 took place to couples who were married or in civil partnership and 17% (n=789) of live births were to couples who had joint registrations at the same addresses (but were not married) ¹⁰. A joint registration records details of both parents and requires them to both be present and 7% (n=339) of live births in 2017 were to joint registrations but different addresses. Locally, 4% (n=170) of live births were registered sole parents (records only the mother’s details).

1.11 Household Composition

According to the 2021 Census, just under a third of the households were made up of one person living alone and almost another third were households with children (as shown in the tables below).

• In Wandsworth 41,132 (29.9%) are one person households i.e., people living alone. This is lower than Inner London (34.3%) and similar to London (29.3%) and England (30.1%). • 1 in 4 one person households (26%) are made up of a person who is 66+ years old. • The proportion of 66+ living alone (8%) has not changed since 2011 and is the same as Inner London, but lower than London (9%) and England (13%). • Older residents living alone (66+) are spread across the borough. One area of higher concentration is around Battersea Park

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

Source: 2021 Census ONS Population Figures reported via DataWand.

1.12 Self-reported Happiness, Satisfaction and Well-being

Most of the local population report leading happy and worthwhile lives, scoring better than the London average, but there is a subset of around one in five who reported low happiness, satisfaction, and high anxiety scores.

Self-reported well-being - high satisfaction score: % of respondents: In 2020/21, Wandsworth’s rate was 80.0%, which was the 3rd highest in London, 4.8% higher than the England average (no London comparison is published for this indicator). The latest Borough figure for 2020/21 was also 3.7% higher than in 2011/12, in comparison with 0.6% increase in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

Self-reported well-being - high happiness score: % of respondents: In 2020/21, Wandsworth’s rate was 64.1%, which was the 2nd lowest in London, 10.9% lower than the England average (no London comparison is published for this indicator). The latest Borough figure for 2020/21 was also 8.6% lower than in 2011/12, in comparison with 1.2% increase in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

Self reported wellbeing: people with a low happiness score: In 2022/23, Wandsworth’s rate was 5.9%, which was the 4th lowest in London, 33.2% lower than the England average and 35.3% lower than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2022/23 was also 26.4% lower than in 2011/12, in comparison with 17.4% decrease in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

Self reported wellbeing: people with a low satisfaction score: In 2022/23, Wandsworth’s rate was 3.8%, which was the 10th lowest in London, 32.6% lower than the England average and 34.9% lower than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2022/23 was also 22.2% higher than in 2011/12, in comparison with 13.6% decrease in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

Self reported wellbeing: people with a low worthwhile score: In 2022/23, Wandsworth’s rate was 5.1%, which was the 11th highest in London, 15.2% higher than the England average and 12.6% higher than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2022/23 was also 77.4% higher than in 2011/12, in comparison with 7.1% decrease in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

Along with Age UK, The Office for National Statistics has produced estimates of subjective loneliness for people aged 65 and over. Wandsworth ranks 13 out of 33 in London and 63 out of 326 in England (1 being the highest in terms of risk of loneliness in both cases) ¹¹.

1.13 Voluntary Sector and Volunteering

Wandsworth Borough has an active and well-developed voluntary sector with over 900 voluntary sector organisations offering a diverse range of services. The sector is supported by the Council’s Voluntary Sector Partnership team, part of the Community and Partnership group, which works across both Wandsworth and Richmond.

The Voluntary Sector Coordinator Project supports voluntary organisations and community groups in Wandsworth to connect, collaborate and communicate both with each other, Wandsworth NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and Wandsworth Borough Council to work together in addressing health equality ¹².

In Wandsworth, the percentage of people reporting volunteering dropped to 25% in (2013/14–2015/16) compared to 35% (2010/11–2012/13). In London the percentage has stayed steady around 25% in this time frame ¹³.

However, 2020, saw an increase in people coming forward to volunteer during Covid-19. Between March–November 2020, 3577 residents registered with the Council and supported over 11 voluntary and community organisations and supported a mentoring project led by Children Services and the Telephone Befriending Service led by the Enable Social Prescribing team. Wandsworth Care Alliance also set up a Volunteer Brokerage Scheme which these volunteers will be sign posted to and will be a mechanism for people to volunteer in the borough going forwards.

1.14 Population Change

Changes to population in Wandsworth, and beyond, are affected by two factors: * Natural change (births and deaths) * Migration which includes both internal migrations (moves in and out of the area from within the UK) and international migrations (movement of migrants to and from other countries).

Over the past 10 years, population increase was driven by Wandsworth having one of the highest rates of natural change (more births than deaths) in London, and net positive international migration. Over the next 10 years, net natural increase is likely to continue, with further net increases in population attributable to migration from other parts of London and the UK into the new housing developments in the borough.

Other Causes of Population Change

The population change describes the estimated net effect of changes to special populations during the twelve months to mid-year. Special populations comprise prisoner, armed forces, and their overseas based dependent populations. This includes estimated population change not attributed to a specific cause in the twelve months to mid-year and small adjustments necessary to account for issues such as minor LA boundary changes and large postcode areas that overlap LA boundaries. These cases account for a change of +2,955 from 2008–2018. The figure below shows the main directions of migration in and out of Wandsworth (as of 2018).

International and internal migration into and out of borough, numbers in 2018

Source: ONS Internal migration: Matrices of moves between local authorities and regions, June 2018.

2.1 Life Expectancy

In general, people in Wandsworth live longer than the national average; however, life expectancy at birth and at 65 years of age tend to be around the middle of the range for London boroughs. Females in the borough live around 4.7 years longer than males, but healthy life expectancy is 63.8 years for both males and females (2022–24), so women spend more of their lives in poor health than men.

Variations in life expectancy across the borough are driven by inequalities between more deprived and less deprived areas. These are most evident in the 60 to 79 age group and are mainly driven by cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Wandsworth performs similarly to the national and regional averages for nearly all causes of premature mortality in men and women, but rates are still higher amongst males in the borough compared to females. Incidentally, the proportion of people screened for conditions such as cancer in the borough is low compared to the national average, but those undergoing NHS Health Checks was better than the national average.

2.2 Healthy Life Expectancy

Healthy life expectancy is the number of years that a person is expected to continue to live in a healthy condition free of disability or poor health.

2.3 Inequalities in Life Expectancy

2.4 Ward-level Life Expectancy and Deprivation

The figure below shows Ward-level IMD 2025 average scores, used to group Wandsworth’s wards into deprivation quintiles. Following the May 2022 boundary review, the borough is now made up of 22 wards (previously 20), so the wards shown here differ from earlier editions of the JSNA. Roehampton, Falconbrook and Shaftesbury & Queenstown are the most deprived wards in Wandsworth, each with an IMD 2025 average score above 23. This is in stark contrast to the least deprived wards — Southfields, Northcote, East Putney, Thamesfield and Balham — which all have average scores below 10.

Ward average deprivation scores and Ward deprivation quintiles in Wandsworth, IMD 2025

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (LSOA-level scores), population-weighted to 2022 electoral wards using the ONS LSOA (2021) to Ward (2024) best-fit lookup.

Ward-level Life Expectancy at Birth

The ward-level life expectancy figures below are based on the previous (pre-2022) ward boundaries and the IMD 2019 deprivation quintiles, as ward-level life expectancy on the current 22-ward geography has not yet been published; they are retained here for context pending a refresh.

The latest (2010–14) Ward-level life expectancy at birth and percentage increases in life expectancy since baseline of 2002–06, as shown in the figure below. Life expectancy was the highest in four least deprived Wards (also shown below). The Wards from the most deprived quintile had either average life expectancy (Queenstown and Tooting) or low life expectancy (Latchmere and Roehampton).

Bedford was the only Ward with less than 1% increase in life expectancy from baseline (0.6%: from 80.0 in 2002–06 to 80.6 in 2010–14). The highest gains in life expectancy of over 6% were recorded in Northcote and Latchmere.

Ward-level life expectancy at birth in 2010–14 with % increases since 2002–06 by Ward deprivation quintile

Ward-level life expectancy at birth in 2010–14 by Ward deprivation quintiles (IMD 2019)

Source: London Datastore: Life Expectancy at Birth and Age 65 by Ward and London Wards Indices of Deprivation

Ward-level Life Expectancy at 65

The latest (2010–14) Ward-level life expectancy at 65 and percentage increases in life expectancy since baseline of 2002–06 (as shown in the two figures below). Life expectancy at 65 was the highest in four wards in the least deprived quintile, the same Wards that had the highest life expectancy at birth. The relationship between deprivation and life expectancy at 65 in other deprivation quintiles is less clear, with the most deprived wards having either average or low life expectancy at 65. There was a substantial variation in relative gains in life expectancy at 65 at a Ward-level. Bedford was the only Ward with decrease in life expectancy at 65 between 2002–06 and 2010–14 (4.6% reduction in LE at 65). The highest gains in life expectancy at 65 of over 20% were recorded in Northcote, Earlsfield and Latchmere.

Ward-level life expectancy at 65 in 2010–14 with % increases since 2002–06 by Ward deprivation quintile

Ward-level life expectancy at 65 in 2010–14 by Ward deprivation quintiles (IMD 2019)

Source: London Datastore: Life Expectancy at Birth and Age 65 by Ward and London Wards Indices of Deprivation

3.1 Leading Causes of Deaths

The figure below expresses the leading causes of deaths in the borough by age band in 2021. Overall, the mortality is skewed towards older ages. Top causes are ischaemic heart disease, Alzheimer’s, lung cancer, COPD, and lower respiratory infections. Self-harm is a major cause of death among residents aged 15-49 years.

3.2 Premature Mortality (Under 75 mortality)

3.3 Preventable Mortality

Preventable mortality describes causes of death which are considered preventable. These are causes where all or most deaths could potentially be prevented by public health interventions in the broadest sense.

In 2022–24 the highest numbers of preventable deaths in Wandsworth were due to cancer (n=206), cardiovascular disease (n=144), liver disease (n=96) and respiratory conditions (n=65). All these conditions are affected by health behaviours, such as smoking. For most disease categories, preventable mortality rates are higher in males than in females; this is especially visible in preventable cardiovascular mortality, where the male rate (40.2/100,000 population) is well over double the female rate (14.7/100,000 population). The table below sets out Wandsworth’s preventable mortality rates by cause and sex alongside the London and England averages.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

3.4 Other Causes of Death

4.1 Education in Children

In January 2026, 31,372 pupils attended state-funded schools in Wandsworth, including 17,509 in primary and 12,751 in secondary schools; this was 5% fewer than in 2015/16 (33,143). 33.4% of these pupils were eligible for free school meals, higher than London (29.2%) and England (26.5%) ²¹. Many Wandsworth children also attend independent schools, which are not included in these figures.

Pupils with special educational needs (SEN): In 2024/25, Wandsworth’s rate was 21.5% (n=9021), which was the 5th highest in London, 10.0% higher than the England average and 15.6% higher than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2024/25 was also 24.4% higher than in 2015/16, in comparison with 35.8% increase in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

More details on education, educational attainment of school-aged children as well as on special educational needs (SEN) can be found in Start Well section.

4.2 Educational Attainment in Adults

The proportion of Wandsworth’s population qualified to degree level or above is much higher than the London and England averages. At the 2021 Census, 62.6% of residents aged 16 and over held a Level 4 qualification (degree or equivalent) or above, compared with 46.7% in London and 33.9% in England (as shown in the chart below). This higher level of educational attainment explains higher levels of income and employment in the borough and why almost 70% of the population work as managers, directors and in professional occupations. 9.9% of residents aged 16 and over had no qualifications, well below the London (16.2%) and England (18.1%) rates.

Source: Office for National Statistics, Census 2021, TS067 Highest level of qualification (usual residents aged 16 and over), via Nomis

4.3 Employment and Economic Activity

In 2025 in Wandsworth, 82.9% of those aged 16 to 64 were in employment. This was above both the London (74.9%) and England (75.8%) employment rates ²².

Proportionally, the employment and economic activity rates are lower amongst females in the borough compared to males - this pattern is observed nationwide.

Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Population Survey (employment rate, aged 16–64), Jan 2025–Dec 2025, via Nomis.

Wandsworth residents are much more likely to be in managerial, professional, and technical occupations (70.7%) compared to England (50.0%). There is a lower proportion of Wandsworth residents carrying out administrative, secretarial, and skilled trade occupations compared to the London and England averages. Less than 5% are employed in elementary occupations ²³.

Local residents are more likely to be full-time, salaried, and work in the private sector. It is also more common for residents to work over 35 hours, with 44% working 35-44 hours and 39% working over 45 hours. Residents in Wandsworth are more likely than Londoners generally to work more than 45 hours per week; this could be due to longer hours at managerial and professional jobs - also more common in Wandsworth than in London and England ²³.

ONS analysis found that 7.4% of jobs in England are at high risk of automation i.e., replacing tasks currently done by workers with technology which could include computer programs, algorithms or even robots. The risk of automation tends to be higher for lower skilled roles and the three occupations with the highest probability of automation are waiters and waitresses, shelf fillers and elementary sales occupations ²⁴. Wandsworth has 5.7% of its population in elementary occupations, and 4.3% in sales and customer service occupations due to this the risk of automation to Wandsworth workers is relatively low compared to the England average ²³.

The numbers of young people not in education, employment or training in Wandsworth is higher than expected and is also out of line with the pattern of educational attainment (the table below). More information on young people not in education or employment is available in Start Well section of the JSNA.

Job density ratio, unemployment, employment percentage, out of work claimants, workless household and 16–17-year-olds not in education, employment or training or whose activity is not known, ratio, percentage, and number, 2017-2019, Wandsworth, London, and England

Source: Nomis - Labour Market Profile–Wandsworth DataWand

4.4 Income

Median gross weekly pay for full-time employees living in Wandsworth was £1,017 in 2025, higher than the London median of £903; the England median was £770. Residents’ pay has risen by 41% in cash terms since 2015 (£720), compared with 45% across London. Median pay for full-time jobs based in the borough, which includes people who commute in, was £848 a week, lower than the figure for residents ²⁵.

In 2012/13, the wards with the lowest median household income were Roehampton, Latchmere, Tooting and Graveney. In 2022, an estimated 19.9% (17,000) of employees in Wandsworth were earning less than £11.05 per hour, which was considered the London Living Wage (LLW). This proportion is amongst the lowest half of London boroughs and since 2008 the proportion of people earning less than the LLW has increased from 15% (14,000) ²⁶.

5.1 Disabilities

Adults with a learning disability who live in their own home or with their family: In 2023/24, Wandsworth’s rate was 78.1% (n=586), which was the 13th lowest in London, 4.3% lower than the England average and 1.6% lower than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2023/24 was also 15.4% higher than in 2011/12, in comparison with 16.6% increase in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

In 2024/25, 1,684 patients of Wandsworth GP practices were on the learning disability register (0.4% of registered patients), compared with 0.46% in London and 0.59% in England ²⁹. In 2019, 651 people living in Wandsworth aged 65 and over were predicted to have a learning disability. This makes up 7.07% of the 65 and over population in Wandsworth. This is predicted to slightly increase in 2020 (7.17%) before decreasing in 2025 (6.91%). This follows a similar trend to London and England ³⁰. The number of people living with a disability aged 18-64 is estimated to be 5,723 in 2019. Compared to those 65 and over, this is a much smaller proportion of that group at 1.7%.

Of the total population of 18-64-year-olds living in Wandsworth, 2.9% (9,589 people) are estimated to have an impaired mobility in 2019. This number will increase by 885 over the next ten years, however this will only be a 1% increase by 2030.

The rate of people living with sight loss in Wandsworth per 1,000 is lower than the national average. In 2018, the percentage of people living with sight loss compared to overall population is 1.83. A total of 5,250 people is estimated to be living with partial sight loss. Of those people 3,900 had low vision sight loss and 1,350 had moderate sight loss. The number of people with severe sight loss (blindness) was a lower estimate at 730 ³¹.

5.2 Poverty

The London Poverty Profile ranks London boroughs on key poverty and inequality indicators. Wandsworth performs well compared to other London boroughs for most indicators such as low pay, unemployment, and poverty. Only 11% of employed residents earn less than the London Living Wage - the joint lowest percentage in London. The unemployment ratio is the second lowest in London, at 3.5%. Additionally, the borough’s poverty rate of 22% is below the London average of 27%.

However, income inequality (the gap in income levels) in Wandsworth is worse than the average for London. The borough also has relatively high premature mortality and homelessness acceptance rates ³².

5.3 Crime and Children and Young People

Over the last 12 months of 17/18, there was a slight increase in the number of young victims of crime (n=1,109) but falls in the number of young suspects (n=1,569) and young people accused of a crime (n=250). Nevertheless, young people, particularly those aged 10-17 remain disproportionally affected by crime in Wandsworth. For young victims, this is most evident within the crime types of violence, sexual offences, and robbery. There continues to be an overrepresentation of young people from ethnic minority groups suspected or accused of crime.

More information on youth crime can be found in Start Well.

5.4 LGBTQ

In 2016, 41.4% (1345) of new STI diagnosis in Wandsworth residents were among gay, bi, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), which is an increase from 37.6% (1152 diagnoses) in 2013. ONS estimates suggest 22% of the LGB population have been diagnosed with a new STI, which is significantly higher than the general population ³⁶.

In July 2017, a survey was launched to gather information about the experiences of LGBTQ people in the UK. This came about because, despite the UK bringing in the Marriage (Same-Sex couples) Act in 2013 as well as introducing ‘Turing’s Law’ in the Policing and Crime Act in 2017, and despite the Parliament now having the highest proportion of openly lesbian, gay, and bisexual members, research and evidence suggests that LGBTQ people still face discrimination, bullying and harassment in education, at work and on the streets. LGBTQ communities also face hate crime and higher inequalities in health satisfaction. Over 108,000 people participated and the results from this resulted in a comprehensive LGBTQ Action Plan that sets out what steps the government will take in response to the findings. The results showed that more than two-thirds of LGBT respondents avoided holding hands with a same-sex partner for fear of negative reaction from others. At least 2 in 5 respondents had experienced an incident, such as verbal harassment or physical violence in the 12 months preceding the survey, because they were LGBTQ. Around 24% of respondents had accessed mental health services in the 12 months preceding the survey ³⁷.

5.5 Homelessness

Homelessness: households in temporary accommodation: In 2024/25, Wandsworth’s rate was 25.4 per 1,000 (n=3522), which was the 4th highest in London, 384.6% higher than the England average and 30.7% higher than the London average. The latest Borough figure for 2024/25 was also 50.6% higher than in 2020/21, in comparison with 30.1% increase in England’s rate in the equivalent time period.

Source: OHID: Public Health Profiles

The ONS has published experimental data on the number of deaths of homeless people in England and Wales, which estimates there were 741 deaths in 2021, in comparison with 688 estimated deaths in the previous year. The data also estimates that Wandsworth had an estimated 3 deaths in 2021, up from 1 in 2020 ³⁸.