Lift London: Looking at London’s Cost of Living

Why are so many Londoners choosing to leave the capital? 
And what happens to London when they do? 

Throughout Listening to Londoners, we heard about many of the pressures making life in London increasingly difficult. 

The reasons people give for considering leaving are different. For some it is the cost of housing. For others it is childcare, concerns about schools or how safe they feel in their neighbourhood. 

But behind many of those individual concerns lies a common issue: the increasing cost of living in London. 

For the people who leave, moving elsewhere may offer the prospect of a more affordable life. But what does their departure mean for the people and communities they leave behind? 

London depends on people to run its hospitals, schools, businesses and public services. It depends on thriving neighbourhoods and community organisations that bring people together and support those who need help. 

What happens when the people London relies upon can no longer afford to live here? 

And what happens to our communities when local services are reduced, police stations close and organisations providing valuable support struggle for funding? 

These aren't simply questions about how much it costs to rent a home, pay for childcare or buy the weekly shopping. They raise a much bigger question about the sort of London we want to live in. 

Can London remain a thriving, diverse and supportive city if ordinary Londoners increasingly feel they can no longer afford to stay? 

At Lift London, we've been listening to Londoners. Now we're looking more closely at what they're telling us and the challenges facing our capital. 

Because before we can decide how to Lift London, we need to understand what is pulling it down. 

Watch our video here: https://youtu.be/sOoDQQzsuBg

Connect with Lift London: https://help.liftlondon.org.uk

Presented by Sonay Ozkutayli and produced by Henry Weston, Lift London is an initiative run by the London Liberal Democrats to raise awareness of the issues affecting Londoners and explore practical ways to improve life across the capital.