London's east 'hit hardest by recession'

Many east London boroughs have seen unemployment increase faster than average

Outer east London was the area of the capital hit hardest hit by the recession, a study has revealed.

The area saw large increases in unemployment, Job Seeker's Allowance claimants and house repossessions, London's Poverty Profile report showed.

Before 2007, unemployment was a third higher in inner London than in outer London, charity Trust for London said.

Because the unemployment rate has risen more quickly in outer London the gap has closed, the study showed.

The report, which was carried out by independent think-tank New Policy Institute, breaks down the latest official data to show patterns of poverty across the capital.

Haringey, Newham, Enfield and Waltham Forest have seen their levels of unemployment and repossessions increase faster than the London average.

The seven London boroughs with the largest increase in adults receiving Job Seeker's Allowance were in outer east London.

Barking and Dagenham saw the number of adults receiving Job Seeker's Allowance more than double between 2007 and 2009, according to the report.

The other hardest hit boroughs were Bexley, Enfield, Greenwich, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

Conversely, the three boroughs with the lowest rates of Job Seeker's Allowance increase were in inner London - Camden, Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea.