Area Information for London, WC1B 5BU

Summary Back to Top

This postcode is in the London region of England. The postcode is within the Bloomsbury ward/electoral division, which is in the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras. This page combines information for the address London, WC1B 5BU, and the neighbourhood in which it resides. If you wish, you can also view information for the whole of WC1B here. For more details on the exact area these statistics cover, please see the map below and click "Show Census Area Covered" immediately below the map.

Please Note

This postcode was terminated by the Royal Mail in December 1984. Where possible, we have attempted to find data relating to the area in which the postcode used to reside before retirement. However, some data such as street names and house pricing is based on current postcodes only and so may be missing or incomplete.

Basic Information

Area Type Urban
Local Authority Camden
Ward Bloomsbury
Constituency Holborn and St Pancras * Note that some postcodes straddle constituency boundaries. To check your exact constituency by house number or name, use the TheyWorkForYou website at this link.
Region London
Country England

About the Demographic Information

The information on housing, people, culture, employment and education that is displayed about London, WC1B 5BU is based on the last census performed in the UK in 2021. They are performed once every 10 years. Our website shows 2021 data for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For Scotland, 2022 data is shown (the Scottish census was performed a year later than the rest of the UK). Please note: census information may include figures for adjacent streets and postcodes. The figures are therefore representative of the local area, not a specific street address or row of houses. The census collection is designed so that each group of postcodes should contain at least 100 people (50 in Scotland). This is done to preserve the anonymity of the people in that area, as some postcodes cover a very small area, sometimes a single building. You can see the area covered by the census statistics by clicking "Show Census Area Covered" below the map above.

Using this Information Commercially

The information we provide on the website is done so without charge. However, if you wish to use this data on other websites, or in any other public medium should consult our data sources page for information on how you should correctly attribute the information.

Housing Back to Top

House Prices

There have been no house sales reported to the Land Registry in this postcode since January 1st 1995.

Our data comes directly from the Land Registry, and is updated monthly. It does not include commercial sales, or sales of land without property.

Housing Types Embed This Back to Top

The area containing London consists predominantly of flats, which is common in inner cities, student neighbourhoods and poorer suburban settings. Please note that the figures may include adjacent streets - see the Summary tab for an explanation and map of the area that these figures cover.

Housing Types
Detached 0
Semi-Detached 1
Terraced 0
Flat (Purpose-Built) 94
Flat (Converted) 14
Residence in Converted Building inc. former schools, churches, warehouses 9
Residence in Commercial Building 19
Total 137
Are these numbers higher than you expected? Click here for explanation.

Housing Tenure Embed This Back to Top

The area containing London contains a higher-than-average level of social housing - 47% of household spaces. This contrasts with the national average of just under 17.5%.

Housing Tenure
Owned Outright 13
Owned with Mortgage 4
Shared Ownership 0
Rented: From Council 4
Rented: Other Social 60
Rented: Private Landlord inc. letting agents 45
Rented: Other 10
Rent Free 0
Total 136

Housing Occupancy Embed This Back to Top

This data lists the total number of residents normally resident within each household. The figures do not record under- or over-occupancy.

Housing Occupancy
One Person 74
Two People 35
Three People 18
Four People 6
Five People 1
Six People 1
Seven People 0
8+ People 1
Total 136

Household Composition Embed This Back to Top

The area containing London consists predominantly of single-person households, common in inner-city areas.

Household Composition
1 Person Household 74
Family Household 49
Other Household 18
Total 141

Household Deprivation Embed This Back to Top

Household deprivation was measured against four dimensions for the 2021 census - employment, education, health/disability, and overcrowding.

Household Deprivation
Not Deprived 54
Deprived In One Dimension 59
Deprived In Two Dimensions 15
Deprived In Three Dimensions 8
Deprived In Four Dimensions 2
Total 138

People Back to Top

Gender Embed This

Across the UK as a whole, the gender split is roughly 49% male, 51% female. The local area around WC1B 5BU however is predominantly male (56%). This can be caused by a number of factors, but amongst the most common are: areas associated with nearby higher education, areas that contain large establishments such as boarding schools, and areas with younger populations (females on average live longer than males, so are more likely to be found in retirement areas).

Gender
Male 133
Female 106
Total 239

Age Groups Embed This Back to Top

Across the UK as a whole, the median age is 40.7 years. In general, inner-city areas show high concentrations of people aged 18-30, suburbs show larger numbers of small children and adults aged 30-50, and rural and small towns are more popular with older workers and retirees. Many poorer areas lack a majority age group, which is due in part to the people in that area being constrained by circumstance rather than being able to choose where to retire, raise a family or grow up.

Age Groups
0-4 11
5-9 2
10-14 3
15-19 16
20-24 50
25-29 32
30-34 20
35-39 15
40-44 15
45-49 14
50-54 15
55-59 14
60-64 11
65-69 8
70-74 4
75-79 4
80-84 4
85+ 1
Total 239

Relationship Status Embed This Back to Top

In the immediate vicinity of WC1B 5BU there is a large concentration of residents that are single - 68% of the resident population. On average, around 37.9% of census respondents were single. Areas with large single populations are often in built-up areas, with good entertainment facilities. It is also common to see a younger population in these areas.

Figures for relationship status do not include those aged under 16, or those family members aged 16-18 who are in full-time education. Following the Civil Partnership Act that came into force in 2019, census figures for 2021 no longer categorise same sex relationships as a separate category. Civil partnerships are now included within the figures for the other categories (Married, Divorced and so forth).

Relationship Status
Single 162
Married 42
Separated 2
Divorced 11
Widowed 8
Total 225

Health Embed This Back to Top

Health in the UK is strongly tied to age as you would expect, but the affluence of a neighbourhood also has strong influence, with deprived areas often showing poorer standards of health.

Overall, the UK considers itself to be healthy - 81.7% of residents rated their health as Very Good or Good. The full breakdown is as follows for the United Kingdom: 48.4% Very Good, 33.3% Good, 12.9% Fair, 4.2% Bad and 1.3% Very Bad.

It is notable that the number of residents reporting Very Good or Good health increased in 2021/22 compared to the previous census, despite an aging UK population. This may have been influenced by how people perceived their health against the backdrop of the pandemic.

Health
Very Good 127
Good 76
Fair 22
Bad 15
Very Bad 1
Total 241

Education & Qualifications Embed This Back to Top

At the time of the 2021 census, across the UK 18.2% of residents had no qualification, 10.3% had 1-4 GCSEs, 13.2% had 5+ GCSEs and 1-2 A/AS-Levels, 16.6% had 2+ A-Levels, 33.6% had a degree (or similar professional qualification), and 5.6% had an apprenticeship.

The qualification levels are based on current qualification names. The former Ordinary Levels (O-Levels) and CSEs will be included in the GCSE figures. Former Higher School Certificates (HSCs) will be counted as A-Levels.

Highest Qualification Level Achieved
Degree or above, or Similar e.g. professional qualification (accountancy etc) 108
Apprenticeship 8
HNC, HND or 2+ A Levels 43
5+ GCSEs, an A-Level or 1-2 AS Levels 16
1-4 GCSEs or Equivalent 15
No GCSEs or Equivalent 30
Other 7
Total 227

Culture Back to Top

Ethnic Group Embed This

London can be considered more ethnically diverse than the UK average. As whole, the UK population claims itself as approximately 83% white, with residents of this area being 59% so.

As a country with a diverse population, the UK is home to other sizable ethnic groups, with mixed ethnicity (2.7%), Indian (2.9%) and Pakistani (2.6%) being the largest groups reported.

There is considerable division of ethnicities within the UK, with ethnically diverse addresses uncommon outside of urban areas.

Ethnic Group
White 140
Mixed Ethnicity 18
Indian 20
Pakistani 3
Bangladeshi 12
Chinese 14
Other Asian 4
Black African 16
Black Caribbean 2
Other Black/African/Caribbean 1
Arab 4
Other 10
Total 244

Country of Birth Embed This Back to Top

In this area (London), 56% of the residents were born in the United Kingdom, which is significantly below the UK average.

At the time of the 2021/22 census, approximately 84% of the resident population of the United Kingdom were born in the UK. The other major groups were 6.7% from European countries, 5.2% from Middle Eastern or Asian countries, 2.5% from African countries, and 1.6% from the rest of the world.

Country of Birth
United Kingdom 133
European Union 33
Rest of Europe 7
Africa 16
Middle East and Asia 32
The Americas (North, Central and South America, and the Caribbean) 15
Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and nearby islands) 6
Total 242

Length of Residence Embed This Back to Top

At the time of the 2021/22 census, approximately 83.8% of the resident population of the United Kingdom were born in the UK. Some 9.4% have resided in the UK for 10 years plus, 2.8% for 5-10 years, 2.2% for 2-5 years, and 1.8% for less than two years.

The length of time a person has been resident in the UK has been calculated from the time a resident most recently arrived in the UK (excluding holidays/short stays outside the UK). However, residents that were born in the UK but emigrated and then later returned will still be counted as "Born in the United Kingdom".

Length of Residence
Born in The United Kingdom 133
10+ Years 39
5-10 Years 21
2-5 Years 16
Less Than 2 Years 33
Total 242

Passport(s) Held Embed This Back to Top

Note that an individual may hold one or more passports. The data may include people living in adjacent addresses to WC1B 5BU.

Passport(s) Held
None 18
United Kingdom 152
Republic of Ireland 5
European Union 33
Rest of Europe 4
African Countries 5
Middle East or Asia 17
North America or Caribbean 5
Oceania (Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and nearby islands) 2

Religion Embed This Back to Top

The largest religious group in England and Wales are Christians - 46.2% of residents. However, a sizeable portion of the population (37.2%) claim to have no religion, which has increased substantially from the 25.1% reported in the 2011 census. Some 6.5% identify themselves as Muslim, 1.7% Hindu, 0.9% Sikh, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.5% Jewish, and 0.6% as other religions, while the remaining 6% did not state their religious views.

Religion
No Religion 100
Christian 74
Buddhist 3
Hindu 9
Jewish 4
Muslim 31
Sikh 2
Other Religion 0
Not Stated 17
Total 240

Employment Back to Top

Economic Activity Embed This

This address within the Bloomsbury ward showed a higher-than-average concentration of student residents - 24% of the resident population. On average, around 8% of census respondents were students. Male residents were slightly less likely than women to be students. The figures for students include both working and full-time studying students.

Figures for economic activity do not include those aged under 16, or those family members aged 16-18 who are in full-time education. The data was correct as of the 2021/22 census, which was a period of depressed economic activity.

The 2021 census occurred during period of depressed economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, care should be taken in interpreting figures relating to labour market participation.

Economic Activity
Full-Time Employee 72
Part-Time Employee (defined as 30 hours or less per week) 10
Self Employed (No Subordinates) 22
Self Employed (With Subordinates) 1
Unemployed 5
Full-Time Student (with or without job) 53
Retired 16
Looking After Home or Family 12
Long-Term Sick or Disabled 16
Other 18
Total 225

Occupation Group Embed This Back to Top

This data is based on resident aged 16+ on census day 2021/22, who were in employment. The categories used are taken from the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020.

Occupation Group
Managers, Directors and Senior Officials 21
Professional Occupations 41
Associate Professional Occupations 26
Administrative and Secretarial Occupations 5
Skilled Trades Occupations 3
Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations 4
Sales and Customer Service Occupations 6
Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 4
Elementary Occupations 6
Total 116

Socio-Economic Classification Embed This Back to Top

Classifications are assigned based on an algorithm created by the National Statistics Agency, called the Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC).

Socio-Economic Classification
Large Employer or Higher Managerial/Professional 42
Supervisory, or Lower Managerial/Administrative/Professional 45
Intermediate Occupation e.g. clerical, sales, technical, engineering occupations 10
Own Account Worker/Small Employer 13
Lower Technical or Supervisory Occupation 5
Routine Occupation e.g. sales, service, production, operative, agricultural occupations 12
Semi-Routine Occupation 18
Never Worked or Long-Term Unemployed 27
Full-time Student 54
Total 226

Policing and Crime Back to Top

London, WC1B 5BU is within the Bloomsbury policing neighbourhood, under the Metropolitan Police Service force area. For non-urgent queries, contact 101. For emergency assistance, please contact 999.


Neighbourhood Team

Crime: Click here to view crimes committed near WC1B 5BU
Neighbourhood Team Address Bloomsbury
Force Website: https://www.met.police.uk/

Data courtesy of police.uk. See our Data Sources page for more information.

Nearby Services Back to Top

Key: Tube Stations Tube Station DLR Stations DLR Station Railway Stations Railway Station Hospitals Hospital GP Practices GP Dentists Dentist Opticians Optician Primary School Primary School Secondary School Secondary School

Below are the details of the closest services to WC1B 5BU. All distances are straight-line distances, please consult the map of the facility to check the exact location. You can also view these details on our interactive services map for WC1B 5BU.

Nearest Railway Stations Back to Top

Listed here are the 20 closest railway stations to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest railway station is Tottenham Court Road (Elizabeth line), approximately 490 yards away.

Nearest Tube/DLR Stations Back to Top

Listed here are the 20 closest Tube and Docklands Light Railway stations to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest Tube station is Tottenham Court Road, approximately 470 yards away.

Nearest Primary Schools Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest primary schools to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is St Josephs Catholic Primary School, approximately 510 yards away.

Name Approximate Distance* Ofsted Rating
St Josephs Catholic Primary School 510 yards
    
St George the Martyr Church of England Primary School 830 yards
    
St Clement Danes CofE Primary School half a mile
    
All Souls CofE Primary School 0.5 miles
    
City Junior School 0.6 miles  
Soho Parish CofE Primary School 0.6 miles
    
Christopher Hatton Primary School 0.7 miles
    
St Alban's Church of England Primary School 0.7 miles
    
Argyle Primary School 0.7 miles
    
Netley Primary School & Centre for Autism 0.8 miles
    

Nearest Secondary Schools Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest secondary schools to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is Birkbeck College, approximately 360 yards away.

Name Approximate Distance* Ofsted Rating
Birkbeck College 360 yards  
Maria Fidelis Catholic School FCJ 0.8 miles
    
Academy21 0.9 miles  
Regent High School 1.1 miles
    
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School 1.1 miles
    
The St Marylebone CofE School 1.1 miles
    
Royal Academy of Music 1.1 miles  
London Nautical, City of London Academy 1.2 miles  
The Royal Veterinary College 1.3 miles  
DLD College 1.4 miles  

Nearest Doctor's Surgeries/GP Practices Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest GPs (General Practitioners) to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is Museum Practice, approximately 120 yards away. Please consult the NHS Choices website to check if the facility is currently accepting new NHS patients.

Nearest Dentists Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest dentists to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is Centre Point Dental Practice, approximately 550 yards away. Please consult the NHS Choices website to check if the facility is currently accepting new NHS patients.

Nearest Hospitals Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest hospitals to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is The Royal London Hospital For Integrated Medicine, approximately 480 yards away.

Nearest Opticians Back to Top

Listed here are the 10 closest opticians to London, WC1B 5BU. The nearest is Optical Express, approximately 380 yards away.

* Distances are measured in a straight line from the given postcode. Please consult the facility's map page or your preferred route finding/GPS app for driving directions.