Introduction to Lewisham
Demography
Location and administration
Stretching from the banks of the Thames in the north, to the borders of Bromley in the south, the
13.4 square miles of Lewisham encompass diverse communities, speaking over 170 languages.
Lewisham is one of the greenest parts of south-east London. Over a fifth of the borough is
parkland or open spaces and this combines with Lewisham’s residential neighbourhoods and
waterway network to create a pleasant environment in the midst of bustling city life.
Location of Lewisham with Greater London
Lewisham has eighteen electoral and statistical wards.
Lewisham’s ward boundaries
Demography
Population of Lewisham
Lewisham’s population of about 284,000 people is relatively young, with one in four residents
aged under 19 years. The population aged 60 years and over represents one in eight people in
the borough. This contrasts with England as a whole, where more between one in four and one in
five people is over 60.
Males comprise 49% of Lewisham’s population, females 51%. These proportions are not expected
to change in the next few years.
Population Pyramid, Lewisham and England
(based on GLA Round 2012 London Plan projections for Lewisham for mid-2013, and ONS 2001 Census for England).
Population projection pyramid, annual percentage of males and females
by single year of age, Lewisham mid 2013 and and England 2011 census
91
86
81
76
71
England
Males
England
Females
66
61
56
51
46
41
36
Lewisham
Males
31
Lewisham
Females
26
21
16
11
6
1
2.0%
1.5%
1.0%
0.5%
0.0%
0.5%
1.0%
1.5%
2.0%
Trends
Between 2001 and 2011, the population of Lewisham grew by 17,000, or 10%, and has grown by
a further 9,000 between 2011 and 2013. Between 2013 and 2018 the population is expected to
grow by a further 15,000, or 5%. The highest growth is expected in Lewisham Central (16.6%),
Rushey Green (12.4%), New Cross (12.4%) and Evelyn (10.9%) wards.
Projected age-band changes by ward in Lewisham 2013-2018
25,000
20,000
15,000
e >75
d 65-75
c 45-64
10,000
b 15-44
5,000
a 0-14
0
2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018 2013 2018
Bellingham
Blackheath
Brockley
Catford South Crofton Park
Downham
Evelyn
Forest Hill
Grove Park
Ladywell
Lee Green
Lewisham
Central
New Cross
Perry Vale
Rushey Green
Sydenham
Telegraph Hill
Whitefoot
Projected change in ward populations 2013-2018
22000
Lewisham Central
21000
20000
Evelyn
19000
Brockley
New Cross
18000
Rushey Green
Telegraph Hill
17000
Sydenham
Perry Vale
16000
Catford South
Bellingham
Whitefoot
Blackheath
Ladywell
Grove Park
Lee Green
Crofton Park
15000
14000
2013
2018
Births
Live births to Lewisham residents have risen annually in the last few years, and this is expected to
continue, though at a slower rate. The following table shows the live births registered1 and the
annual figures to 2018 as estimated by the Greater London Authority2.
Year
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Annual Births, Lewisham
residents
Registered GLA projections
births
(Round 2012)
4872
4776
4975
5019
4919
5043
5119
5148
5168
5146
5117
Between April 2008 and March 2009 there were 4744 NHS delivery episodes for women resident
in Lewisham3. Around 46% of births were to women from black and minority ethnic groups, and
the ethnicity of a further 15% is not known. 5% of deliveries were to women aged under 20, and
6% were to women aged over 40. At the time of writing more recent data is not available, but data
is available on babies born4.
Between April 2011 and March 2012 the majority of babies born to Lewisham women were born in
University Hospital Lewisham (UHL), but there is clear effect of proximity on choice of provider
hospital. Women who live in North Lewisham (Brockley, Evelyn, New Cross and Telegraph Hill
wards) tended to choose St Thomas’s Hospital, and a large proportion of women from Crofton
Park, Forest Hill, Perry Vale, Telegraph Hill and Sydenham gave birth at King’s College Hospital
(KCH). A smaller number of women, mostly from South Lewisham (Downham, Bellingham, Grove
Park, and Whitefoot wards) and Blackheath gave birth at South London Hospitals.
The following chart shows how the percentage of each ward’s births were made up.
1
2
3
4
From Office of National Statistics
GLA Round 2012 standard fertility projections
Source: Lewisham Secondary User Service (SUS) database
Source: ONS Public Health Birth Files
Lewisham residents
hospital of birth by mother's ward of residence
2011-12
100%
Others/home
Princess Royal Hospital
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
90%
St Thomas's Hospital
80%
70%
King's College Hospital
60%
50%
40%
Lewisham Hospital
30%
20%
10%
0%
Deaths
The number of registered deaths of Lewisham residents fluctuates from year to year, and but
there has been a steady reduction in the last few years. The following table shows the registered
deaths recorded in the Primary Care Mortality Database5 and the annual figures to 2015 as
estimated by the Greater London Authority6.
Annual Deaths, Lewisham residents
Year
Registered deaths
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
1776
1701
1614
1601
GLA projections
1556
1684
1649
1621
1596
1574
1553
The main underlying causes of death in Lewisham are cancer, circulatory diseases, and respiratory
diseases. The following charts illustrate the breakdown of causes of death in calendar year
September 2011 to August 2012, the most recent 12 months period for which full data is available
at the time of writing, first by broad category of cause, and second with a more detailed
breakdown.
5
6
From Office of National Statistics & HSCIC
GLA Round 2012 standard fertility projections
Deaths of Lewisham Residents by broad cause of death
September 2011 to August 2012
Source: ONS/NHSICPCMD
Dementia
10%
Cancer
30%
Respiratory
13%
All others (inc
unknown)
19%
Circulatory
28%
Main underlying causes of death, Lewisham residents,
September 2011 to August 2012
Source ONS/NHSIC PCMD
All other
causes 24%
Cancer 30%
cancer, breast
2%
other, infection UTI
2%
other
15%
cancer,
digestive
7%
cancer, lung
7%
other, infection not UTI
1%
cancer, prostate
2%
other, diabetes
1%
other, dementia
10%
respiratory disease, other
1%
Respiratory
diseases 14%
respiratory,
pneumonia
6%
cancer, other
11%
circulatory, IHD not
AMI
9%
circulatory, AMI
4%
respiratory,
COPD
6%
circulatory,
circulatory, other
stroke
8%
7%
Circulatory diseases
28%
Until 2011 circulatory diseases were the largest contributor, but in 2011 these fell below the
number of cancer deaths for the first time. This appears to be partly a result of fall in deaths from
circulatory disease themselves, continuing an underlying trend, and an anomalously high number
of deaths from cancer in 2011. The following chart shows the number of deaths from 2005 to
2011 by underlying cause.
Deaths of Lewisham residents by underlying cause of death
2005-2011
700
600
500
Cancer
400
Circulatory
All others
300
200
Respiratory
100
Dementia
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Deaths from underlying dementia more than doubled in 2011, and continued to rise in the part of
2012 for which data is available. It is not clear whether this is a genuine change, a matter of
natural variation, or related to changes in clinically coding causes of death.
Ethnic diversity
Lewisham is the 15th most ethnically diverse local authority in England, and two out of every five
residents are from a black and minority ethnic background. The largest BME groups are Black
Caribbean and Black African: Black ethnic groups are estimated to comprise 30% of the total
population of Lewisham.
Overall ethnic make-up of Lewisham
The following charts show the estimated ethnic make-up of Lewisham’s population in 2013
according to the GLA’s Round 2011 projections. These use the GLA’s Aggregated Ethnic Group
classification, in which mixed White and any Black ethnicity counts as Black Other, and mixed
White and any Asian ethnicity counts as Other Asian.
Lewisham's population 2013, by broad ethnic group
Source GLA Round 2011 EGPP
Chinese
1%
Bangladeshi
1%
Pakistani
1%
Other Asian
3%
Other
3%
Indian
2%
Black Other
6%
Black Caribbean
13%
White
59%
Black African
11%
The age profile of the BME groups is younger than that of the White groups.
Age breakdown by broad ethnic group
Lewisham's population 2013
Age-breakdown by broad ethnic group, persons
source: GLA Round 2011 EGPP
e 75+
100%
d 65-74
90%
c 45-64
80%
70%
60%
b 15-44
50%
40%
30%
20%
a 0-14
10%
0%
All Ethnicities
White
Black African
Black
Caribbean
Black Other
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Chinese
Other Asian
Other
One in five of the overall population is under 15, but this is doubled in the Bangladeshi group, and
more than more than doubled in the Black Other group. The under 15 proportion is lowest in the
White and Chinese groups. The proportion in the over-65 group is highest in the White, Black
Caribbean, Indian, and Chinese groups.
The following charts show how the expected population of each ethnic group is expected to
change from 2013 to 2018
All ethnicities
200,000 2013
All ethnicities
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
200,000 2013
150,000
150,000
100,000
100,000
50,000
50,000
0
b 15-44
c 45-64 d 65-74
e 75+
All BME
2016
2017
2018
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64 d 65-74
e 75+
Black Caribbean
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
20,000
60,000
15,000
40,000
10,000
20,000
5,000
0
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
0
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Black African
20,000
2015
0
a 0-14
80,000
2014
2013
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Black Other
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
10,000
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
8,000
15,000
6,000
10,000
4,000
5,000
2,000
0
0
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Bangladeshi
800
2013
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Indian
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
600
4,000
2013
2014
2015
a 0-14
b 15-44
2016
2017
2018
3,000
400
2,000
200
1,000
0
0
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Pakistani
1,000
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Chinese
2013
2,500
2014
2013
2014
2015
a 0-14
b 15-44
2016
2017
2018
2,000
1,500
500
1,000
500
0
0
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
2013
d 65-74
e 75+
Other
Other Asian
4,000
c 45-64
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
5,000
2013
2014
a 0-14
b 15-44
2015
2016
2017
2018
4,000
3,000
3,000
2,000
2,000
1,000
1,000
0
0
a 0-14
b 15-44
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
c 45-64
d 65-74
e 75+
Ethnicity in schoolchildren
In 2008/09 there were 35,062 pupils enrolled in Lewisham’s 91 schools, 61% of whom were from
black and minority ethnic (BME) communities (3% not known). This percentage of BME pupils is
significantly different from the proportion within the resident population. This could be interpreted
as an indication of the future ethnic make-up of Lewisham’s adult population, knowledge that
could assist in planning services for both the current population aged under 18 years and future
adult service users. However, it must be noted that some areas of the borough have a highly
mobile population and some pupils attending Lewisham schools may not reside in the borough.
As such, this information cannot be used as the sole basis of predicting future need.
Pupils with Lewisham post code by school type, 2009
No. Pupils with
% Pupils with
School Type
Total No of Pupils
Lewisham Post Code Lewisham Post Code
231
220
95.2
Nursery
Primary
21464
19776
92.1
Secondary
10332
8766
84.8
595
548
92.1
Special
7
Migration
Data from the Population Estimates Unit at the Office of National Statistics8 show that from 20034 to 2009-10 there was an annual average net outflow from Lewisham of about 700 people, made
up of 1950 net international migrants into the borough, and 2660 internal migrants outwards.
International migration appears to have peaked in 2004-5, and declined until 2008-9; internal
migration fell every year until 2008-9.
Migration into and out of Lewisham
2003-4 to 2009-10
4000
3000
2000
flow into Lewisham
International
1000
0
-1000
-2000
2003-4
2004-5
2005-6
2006-7
2007-8
flow out of Lewisham
-3000
-4000
-5000
7
8
Source: Lewisham School Census, January 2009
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=15239
2008-9
2009-10
Overall flow
Internal
Accurate figures for the total number of international migrants are difficult to ascertain. According
to the Department for Work and Pensions9, a total of 8,020 non-UK nationals resident in
Lewisham were issued with new National Insurance numbers in 2011. This figure has generally
increased, and in 2011 was 60% higher than in 2004.
National Insurance Numbers issued to migrants
2004 to 2011
9
900
8
Lewisham
800
7
700
England
600
6
Lewisham
(000)
5
500 England
4
400
3
300
2
200
1
100
0
(000)
0
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Although these figures give us an indication of levels of international migration, they do not
include (a) their dependants or (b) those working without National Insurance numbers. The
numbers of asylum seekers have been steadily declining in recent years in line with national
trends. As at the end of December 2009, 35 asylum seekers in Lewisham were receiving support
for accommodation and 115 people were receiving subsistence support from the National Asylum
Support Service10. We are aware that there are many people who because they have no recourse
to public funds or for other reasons linked to their immigration status are not included in any
official statistics.
Short term migrants
Short term migrants are defined as people resident in an area for between three and nine months,
for whatever reason. A research report published by ONS11 estimates that at mid-year 2007 there
were 11,480 short term migrants in Lewisham, for whom 1,510 were workers, and 9,980 were
non-workers. This represented about 4% of the overall population.
Religion and Belief
Christianity was the most common religion in Lewisham at the time of the 2011 Census (53%),
followed by Islam (6%). About 27% of people stated they had no religion and 9% did not state
their religion or belief.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/product.asp?vlnk=15239
http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
11
Summarised in GLA DMAG Briefing 12-2009
9
10
Religious Profile of Lewisham12
Religion
Christian
Buddhist
Hindu
Jewish
Muslim
Sikh
Other religion
No religion
Religion not stated
Lewisham
%
52.8
1.3
2.4
0.2
6.4
0.2
0.5
27.2
8.9
London
%
48.4
1
5
1.8
12.4
1.5
0.6
20.7
8.5
England
%
59.4
0.5
1.5
0.5
5
0.8
0.4
24.7
7.2
Disability
There is no one official statistic for disability. In Lewisham Council’s 2007 Residents Survey, of the
1,042 people surveyed, 14% of respondents described themselves as disabled. In the 2011
Census, 15.6% of Lewisham residents were classed as not in good health. In the ONS Annual
Population survey data for 2007 14.2% of people of working age were categorised as disabled.
Sexual Orientation
There are no accurate statistics available regarding the profile of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) population either in Lewisham, London or Britain as a whole. Sexuality is not
incorporated into the census or most other official statistics. The Greater London Authority based
its Sexual Orientation Equality Scheme on an estimate that the lesbian and gay population
comprises roughly 10% of the total population. This would make the lesbian and gay population
of the borough roughly 20,000, although whether this includes bisexual or transgender individuals
is unclear.
About 0.4% of Lewisham households comprise same sex couples in civil partnerships (Census
2011). This is more than double the average for England.
12
Source: 2011 Census