Even when regarded as one of the most culturally proficient and beautiful cities, London is still a challenging place to live in. Putting aside the clichés, there is a massive problem with overpopulation, soaring pricing, and high levels of crime. Unfortunately, not every community is alike. In comparison, some are quite delightful. This article is not about the more affluent areas, it is actually about the rough areas of London you must stay away from.
London, which is viewed by many to be the world’s most beautiful capital city, is certainly a location with something for everybody. While London is a pleasant city to visit in general, there are concerns, regions, and scammers to be wary of, just as there are in any large metropolis. If you are planning a trip here, explore Travel Safety Tips for Your Next Trip.
London is among the most travelled cities on the globe, and if you brush up on what to expect and take a few easy safeguards, you can have as much fun as the throngs of other worldwide visitors who visit every year.
Even though the majority of tourists in London have a pleasant experience, you may lower your chances of getting into problems by preparing ahead, having your senses with you, and obeying the essential London safety guidelines.
If you want to see some of the world’s most famous sights, such as Big Ben or the London Eye, a vacation to England should include a detour in London. The excellent news for tourists is that the level of violent crimes is generally performed outside of tourist hotspots in outlying suburbs and is frequently linked to criminals.
Meanwhile, the renowned and prominent Westminster, Croydon, and Camden communities have more percentage of crimes than just about any other, though these are primarily petty crimes or other tourist frauds.
London has seen a number of high-profile terrorist acts, which combined may give the illusion that the city is unsafe to visit. The federal government of the United Kingdom, on the other hand, keeps an up-to-date international danger level so you can be aware of potential dangers.
After investigating the ultimate worst of the worst, terribly crime-ridden, most awful areas in all parts of London, from North to South London and East to West, where you could ever want to reside. Here is a compiled list of the eight most rough areas in London based on all of the data taken from crime statistics. There are dangers wherever you may decide to go but in these rough areas of London, it is actually a horrific sight.
8 Rough Areas of London
To make sure you stay away from the most dangerous boroughs, Icy Europe has listed out the 8 Most Rough areas of London you must be wary of.
1. Croydon
Ranking first on the list of the rough areas of London is Croydon. It is a big town and a dangerous borough in Southeast London, England, and the London Borough of Croydon is named after it. This is among Greater London’s main business districts, featuring a large shopping street and a thriving nightlife. Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups make up 50.7 per cent of Croydon’s populace and this is expected to rise to 55.6 per cent in the upcoming years.
The youth and the younger age groups in this south London borough have a wider array of ethnicities. Croydon is one of London’s top 20 highest violent neighbourhoods as well as one of the most dangerous of the city’s 33 townships, counties, and urban areas.
Croydon had an overall crime rate of 82 offences per 1,000 persons in 2021. This contrasts well with London’s general crime rate, which is 5% lower than the city’s average rate of 87 per 1,000 people.
Croydon had the highest rate of crimes in London for criminal mischief and arson in December 2021, with 235 offences filed and a violent crime level of 0.61 per 1,000 residents, making it the most dangerous borough in London.
Croydon inhabitants had a miserable month in June 2021, while it was London’s most rough neighbourhood for abuse, violence, and sexual assaults, with 1,140 crimes recorded at a frequency of 3.0 per 1000 inhabitants.
Croydon had 222 narcotics reports in August 2021, putting its rate of crime at 0.57- the highest in London for that period. Violence and sexual assaults are the most widespread offences in Croydon, with 11,588 offences reported in 2021, resulting in a rate of crime of 30. This is up 4.4 per cent from the estimate of 11,078 crimes in 2020, and a discrepancy of 1.32 from the rate of crime of 29 in 2020.
Fairfield has a substantially higher crime rate than any other area in the Croydon district. Fairfield is the area’s primary shopping district and a prominent nightlife destination, hence greater crime figures are likely to occur.
In January, there were 214 crimes reported in Broad Green, with crimes against the people being the most common. With 44 crimes, theft was not too far behind, trailed by 39 vehicle violations. Needless to say, Croydon has really marked itself as one of the rough areas of London. The end line is to stay away from Croydon unless it is very necessary for you to visit.
2. Newham in East London
Not only the shady parts of London can be classified as the rough areas of London and Newham is the proof. The majority of the Olympic Park, along with the Olympic Stadium, is located in Newham, which was among the six hosting boroughs for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Newham is a district in London that was established in 1965. It encompasses land previously governed by the Essex County towns of East Ham and West Ham, which were both dissolved later.
Newham has been one of London’s most dangerous boroughs. Queens Market, Stratford Centre, Green street, Gallions Reach Shopping Park, Stratford Circus Arts Centre, and Theatre Royal Stratford are among the many attractions in the area. Newham, on the other hand, ranks second in our ranking with 36,813 criminal offences in the region.
It is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the UK and rough areas of London with a mixed ethnic and cultural population. Newham inhabitants have low wages, low levels of education, a limited skill base, bad accommodation, and poor health, all of which are characteristics of a deprived area. East Ham, on the other hand, has a London-average rate of violent crimes and a London-average property crime level.
In 2021, Newham’s total rate of violent crime was 93 offences per 1,000 people. This relates negatively to London’s total violent crime rate in rough areas of London, which is 7% more than the city’s general rate of 87 per 1,000 people.
Violence against people is by far the most prevalent crime in Newham, with 10,668 incidents reported in 2021. Theft offences are also common in Newham, accounting for around a quarter of all offences. If there is something to say about Newham, it is that it is not a good environment to reside in.
3. Kensington and Chelsea in Central London
The highly regarded and beautiful Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is a royal borough in the heart of the Capital city. Wondering what led to marking it as one of the rough areas of London? Read along to find out.
It is London’s tiniest borough and England’s second smallest division; it is also one of the UK’s most heavily populated administrative divisions. The sad part is that Kensington and Chelsea is London’s most violent large town and the third most unsafe in the country.
In 2021, Kensington and Chelsea had a crime rate of 115 offences per 1,000 people. This is a poor comparison to London’s total violent crime rate, which is 25% greater than the London figure of 87 per 1,000 people.
Luxurious and exclusive, this Royal Borough attracts investors and wealthy Londoners looking for multi-million-pound residences and a diverse cultural landscape. Is it, however, safe or worth the risk?
The Royal region of Kensington and Chelsea is both the most costly and least economical in London with a typical property’s value of £2,000,000 as of 2017, about 4 times the London standard price. If inhabitants want to make a home in the borough, they will require a lot of money.
The area of Kensington and Chelsea has the third-highest rate of violent crimes in London, with an estimate of 121 offences per 1000 inhabitants in 2015 – nearly twice the UK average.
It demonstrates that even the wealthiest regions are not protected from high levels of crime, making it very violent and dangerous among other rough areas of London. Robbery and shoplifting are extremely prevalent, with both exceeding the London average by more than 100 per cent.
4. Tower Hamlets in Traditional East End
In comparison to certain other London districts, Tower Hamlets is extremely impoverished. Tower Hamlets is a London area of the city that encompasses much of the classic East End. In 1965, the old urban counties of Poplar, Stepney, and Bethnal Green merged to establish the Tower Hamlets.
Nowadays, Tower Hamlets is among the most unequally distributed areas in the United Kingdom. Several of the factors that lead to a family’s poverty, also include health problems, prejudice, or inadequate infrastructure and education.
Tower Hamlets will also make anyone less fortunate in a competitive labour market, landing it on the list of rough areas of London. Tower Hamlets has a median wage of around £29,550, which is similar to the London average.
Tower Hamlets is a comparatively young area of the city for being among the rough areas of London, though it is developing with excellent schools and raising educational standards.
Despite this, 50% of families have an average income of less than £50,000, and over 20% have a yearly salary of less than £15,000. Roughly half of the region’s citizens rely on government assistance. In 2021, Tower Hamlets had a crime rate of 97 offences per 1,000 residents.
Also, the children’s rate of poverty in Tower Hamlets is the highest of any area of London, with 56 per cent of the children residing with poor parents, compared to 37 per cent in the average London borough.
White British, Bangladeshi, and ‘Other White’ are the three main ethnic groupings in the area. When these 3 racial minorities are combined, they account for roughly three-quarters of the inhabitants of Tower Hamlets.
5. Hackney in Inner London
Hackney, in the Eastern part of London, is the sixth most hazardous borough in London and one of the rough areas of London, as per the Metropolitan Police figures. There were 4,140 crimes reported in the region. Violence against people is the most frequent crime reported, with 1,000 occurrences observed in just a span of 2 months.
Hackney is a London borough located in the heart of the city. Visit Mare Street, which is 5 miles to the northeast of Charing Cross, and is the cultural and bureaucratic centre of Hackney.
Hackney, the district’s main section is titled after it. Approximately 40% of the population is made up of Black and Minority Ethnic segments, with Black or Black British people accounting for the majority (20%). White British people make up 36% of the community, whereas “other White” people make up 16%.
According to statistics, knife-related crimes in Hackney happened at a frequency of 150 per 100,000 persons from 2012 to 2019. After Newham, Lambeth, and Croydon, Hackney had the 4th-highest number of knife crimes over this time period, with 350.
When it is about burglary, narcotics, firearms possession, maintenance of peace, automobile crime, sex and violent offences, and other crime, Hackney is regarded to be in the ‘typical’ range within this category.
In 2021, Hackney’s total rate of violent crime was 105 offences per 1,000 residents. It is a neighbourhood that has transformed dramatically in recent decades, but economic inequality and poverty persist, notably based on how people seek work and housing.
6. Islington in Greater London Borough
If you are wondering if Islington is as unique and quirky as it sounds, Islington is in zone 2 and is about four miles from London, Centre. Though it gives homebuyers and tenants a terrific transport facility, as well as all those excellent-period residences and fashionable coffee houses and eateries, it is also classified as being among the rough areas of London.
And that is truly what Islington is all about – a manner of living, although crime is still a problem. Islington is a borough in the diverse London Borough of Islington.
Towards the southern end, the region covers a large region that is part of downtown London. It has a populace of 215,667 people. Many Islington households live in poverty, despite this impression of grandeur.
Islington is the 53rd most impoverished local council area in England and the 6th most disadvantaged local council in London, according to the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2019.
Islington is abode to some of the most valuable real estate and the wealthiest people in the UK, but many inhabitants are struggling to make ends meet. Each district in Islington has a neighbourhood that is one of England’s lowest 20%. 17.8% of individuals are jobless, while 21.7 per cent are living in poverty. It is a lovely neighbourhood with interesting shops, wonderful restaurants, and a canal stroll path.
For London, Islington has a very high rate of violent crime and a frequent occurrence of property crime. In 2021, Islington’s total rate of violent crime was 102 offences per 1,000 people. This contrasts negatively with London’s total crime rate, which is 15% more than the city’s general rate of 87 per 1,000 people. Finsbury Park, Seven Sisters Street, and parts of Upper Street are all crime hotspots in the area.
7. Haringey in North London
The London district of Haringey is a distinct area of the city in North London that is categorised as Inner London by certain criteria and Outer London by many others. It was constituted in 1965 when three former districts merged. It is surrounded by six other London boroughs. Haringey’s registered crime has decreased over the last few years, with a 40 per cent decrease since 2002.
Haringey’s total rate of violent crime in 2021 was 106 offences per 1,000 residents. This is significantly higher than London’s general crime levels of 87 per 1,000 population, which is 18% higher. There are also issues with prolonging housing registrations, giving insufficient care evaluations, miscalculating council rates, as well as failing to provide necessary help to families facing homelessness.
Haringey is the 13th highest disadvantaged area in England, and the ninth highest impoverished in London, according to poverty statistics. According to the latest recent numbers, the rate of unemployment is 6.2 per cent, relative to 3.6 per cent in London. Perhaps the most alarming figure is the one that tracks infant mortality. The average in London, on the whole, is 5.7 per 1,000 newborns and it is 6.9 in Haringey.
As per research, Haringey also has few of the highest rates of child poverty in the UK. Violence and sexual assaults are the most prominent crimes in Haringey, with 8,636 incidences in 2021 and a crime level of 32. This is an increase of 8% above the 7,906 offences reported in 2020, based on a rate of crime of 29.
8. Camden in North West London
As per statistics, Camden is London’s second most rough city, and it ranks among the top five most dangerous of the city’s 33 villages, towns, and cities altogether. Camden’s total rate of violent crime in 2021 was 107 offences per 1,000 residents.
It has a considerably high median household income of £32,625 yet has a significant level of income inequality, ranking as London’s sixth highly unequal district.
Camden is a northwestern London district located 2.5 miles (4.1 kilometers) towards the north of Charing Cross. It is the administrative capital of the London Borough of Camden and among the 34 key centres in Greater London specified in the London Plan. Though it was traditionally in Middlesex.
If you are heading to a concert, you will be surrounded by people, so it is doubtful that anything will occur other than pickpocketing or minor theft. When contrasted to the other neighbourhoods stated above, Camden is quite safe, and the media’s exaggerated crime figures and publicity are simply a product of the high amount of visitors in the region, which inevitably results in some small crime.
In the first month of 2019, 591 violent offenses were recorded in Camden, accounting for 19% of all reported crimes in the city. Although the most recent police statistics are from January 2019, Camden has still not been spared from the string of recent stabbings that have shaken London.
Sexual offences and violence against minorities are the most prominent offenses in Camden, with 7,097 offenses reported in 2021, resulting in a crime rate of 26. This is up 2.8 percent from the 6,896 offenses recorded in 2020, and a variance of 0.74 from the rate of crime of 26.
Possession of firearms is the least prevalent crime in Camden, with 156 crimes registered in 2021, down 16 percent from the 181 offences documented in 2020. The range of other stealing offences is somewhat broad. It encompasses a wide range of robberies, including cell phone snatching on the sidewalk, thievery, bike thefts, cash machine break-ins, parking meter thefts, and power misdirection.
A Message to Take Away
London practically seems to have everything. Artworks, heritage, and culture, incredible job prospects, different neighbourhoods, media, sports culture, recreation, history, large green spaces, and a well-connected transportation system — it has everything a capital city could wish for.
After nightfall, the areas near some of the city’s tube stations can be shady, and while you are likely to get into any problems, you can draw unnecessary attention. Most of London has been urbanized in recent times, and neighbourhoods like Soho, rough areas of London, and sections of the Eastern Suburbs are now significantly more tourist-friendly and typically secure for solitary travellers.
As already said, London is typically safe, and the majority of visitors will have no concerns. Though there are no specific locations in London that lone female tourists should ignore, if you are unfamiliar with the city, stay in the busy tourist attractions.
There is no denying that London is a popular destination to live in since it provides excellent prospects and a vibrant way of life. Although, at the very same moment, the attractiveness of London and the high demand for its services negate its advantages.
A few problems many London boroughs face are theft, gun and knife crime, gang culture, and others. If you want to live in a calm and crime-free area, have a look at the Safest Areas in London and choose your new home.
If you want to live in London, you have to keep in mind just a few things mentioned in this article like choosing a home where the crime rate is low, staying away from the rough areas of London mentioned above, not wandering alone at night in a dangerous area, or not trusting people you just met on a bus with your luggage and stuff.
