Havering’s Population Surge of 14K In Three Years Leaves Services Struggling to Cope.

The population of Havering rose by more than 14,000 people in three years, which has put increased strain on council services writes local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann.

The number of people living in the borough hit 276,274 in mid-2024 – up from 262,086 in 2021.

The 14,188 increase equates to around 4,729 new residents a year. On top of new births, thousands have moved into the borough from foreign countries.

Havering has the second oldest population in London, behind Kensington & Chelsea, and the 2021 census revealed it has the fourth fastest growing population of children under four in the UK.

Councillor Ray Morgon, leader of Havering Council since 2022, said: “It is well documented that Havering Council has had years of underfunding that does not meet the pressures it is facing.

“Havering has seen significant population growth in recent years, which inevitably increases demand for essential services, particularly adult and children’s social care.”

“Like the rest of London, we have seen more people needing support for temporary accommodation,” he continued.

“Although we have received additional funding from the government for the next three years, it is still not enough to deal with the current and historic pressures we face and the significant gap in our finances it has caused.

“Saying that, we are of course committed to supporting our most vulnerable residents and continue to work innovatively with partners, while lobbying for fair funding to ensure we can meet the needs of our growing community.”

Havering will receive an extra £83million over the next three years, as part of a £73billion package the government announced.

In December, Cllr Morgon called it “too little too late”.

The boost includes £35m that will be raised through council tax increases, which he said meant “residents have to foot the bill, not the government”.

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