London’s population of children aged nine or under has been declining since 2013 even while the overall population continues to rise, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

London is becoming an unsuitable place to raise children, Sir Sadiq Khan has been told.

The number of children living in the capital has been declining at a faster rate than anywhere else in the UK since the early 2010s, according to the London Assembly’s economy, culture and skills committee.

Between 2013 and 2023, London’s population of children up to nine years fell by 99,100 as the city’s overall population grew by 506,000, prompting concerns that London, particularly the inner city, was no longer child-friendly.

In a new report, the committee suggests that serious financial and practical barriers, including the cost of childcare and housing, have played a major role in families moving out of London.

Those who stay often face new housing developments without suitable communal play spaces, and unwelcoming attitudes from neighbours and the authorities.

This has had a knock-on impact on the capital’s schooling system, with reducing class sizes meaning schools face receiving less funding for every pupil they lose. This has led to a number of closures or mergers in recent years.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has now been told to take a number of measures to reverse this trend, including implementing specific requirements for homes suitable for children in the next London Plan – as well as building more family sized homes – and developing a map of all appropriate play spaces in the capital.

Ultimately, the cross-party committee said, the mayor should help ensure London achieves ‘Child Friendly City’ status with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (Unicef).

Hina Bokhari, who chairs the committee, said: “We cannot allow London to become a place where only a small number of families can afford to live and even fewer can manage to enjoy a good quality of life.

“London must prioritise keeping children and families in the city. Without urgent action, we risk seeing even more families take the decision to leave and set up their lives elsewhere.”

Bokhari told BBC Radio London on Monday (9th): “The mayor has a job to do – and his job is to make sure that London is fit for everyone.

“A child-friendly city is a friendly city for all and it’s up to the mayor of London to make sure that he reads this report and puts across all the recommendations that we need in the future.”

A spokesperson for Khan told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The mayor is committed to supporting families and helping young people of all backgrounds to thrive.

“This includes funding free school meals for all state primary pupils, investing in activities for young people in school holidays, ensuring families claim financial support they are entitled to, protecting free and discounted travel for children and working with the government to deliver more affordable homes across the capital, as we build a fairer and better London for everyone.”

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