Haringey: 18th Worst Place To Live 2007 | 4Homes

Date Published:: 03/06/2008

The north London borough of Haringey has counted a host of big names among its inhabitants, including film director Mike Leigh and Kinks main man, Ray Davies.

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Phil And Kirstie's View

Covering over 11 square miles of north London, it's home to some of the capital's most sought-after spots including Highgate, Muswell Hill and Crouch End, but head a little further east and it's a very different story.

For some, the streets of London really are paved with gold, as robbery is a big problem here in Haringey: it's eight times the national average, with over 2,000 victims each year.

Haringey has been classed as a deprived area due to its special blend of high levels of poverty, low life expectancy and nutrition levels, as well as a widespread lack of skills and qualifications... how depressing!

Area Guide: Haringey

The main focal points for leisure and tourism in the area include Alexandra Palace, Bruce Castle and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, while there are pockets of trendy areas, such as Crouch End and Muswell Hill. Alexandra Palace houses London's biggest permanent ice rink, while those who like their activities a bit more cutting-edge could do a lot worse than pay a visit to the rather endearingly named Swash and Buckle Fencing Club. It's the perfect chance to emulate Errol Flynn, Antonio Banderas or Johnny Depp, depending on your preferred sword-toting point of reference.

The average house price in Haringey is £381,238, which is decidedly modest compared to some London boroughs, but the increase in comparison with prices from 2006 is a hefty 33 per cent, the largest increase among boroughs in the capital during that time period.

If that suggests that the area is burgeoning, then a note of caution is also warranted. The rate of robbery offences here is nearly eight times the national average at a rate of 8.7 per thousand of the population, while vehicle theft occurs twice as often as the mean national rate (at 6.1 per thousand residents). Added to that, the rate of household burglaries is nearly three times the national average, at 12.1 per thousand of the population.

Similarly bleak is the education profile of Haringey, which bears the second worst success rate in England in terms of average GCSE or equivalence point scores, with 313.0. Despite this, the percentage of its population with NVQ four level qualifications or above is a very healthy 39.8 per cent, significantly higher than the national average of 27.4 per cent.

Unemployment is higher than the national average and is especially high among women, as 10.3 per cent of the female population who are of working age are out of work, while the percentage of the working-age population claiming job seeker's allowance is double the national average.

However, the hourly rate of pay in general sits above the national average by £2.40 per hour, while the rate of pay for women is even higher at £3.34 per hour more than the national average.