Around 65 per cent of Londoners plan to remain in the capital in the immediate future even if remote working becomes the norm, according to a new survey.
Independent think-tank Centre for London saw the convincing response despite 28 per cent of 1500 capital-dwellers surveyed reporting they are struggling to make ends meet due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown measures.
Nearly 40 per cent of parents with children under the age of 18 said they were just scraping by, and seven per cent of people surveyed had resorted to using a food bank within the past four weeks.
Around 45 per cent of those surveyed who stated they had a disability said they were now in financial difficulties as a result of the crisis.
Nearly half of Londoners said they have seen their disposable income fall since March, although 17 per cent had seen their income increase.
The survey is the first quarterly "Snapshot of Londoners" from the think tank, which concluded that the crisis risks deepening already entrenched inequality in the capital.
But despite these figures, 40 per cent of Londoners said they were optimistic their prospects would improve in the coming year - and 65 per cent said they are "happy living in London", with just eight per cent saying they are "likely to leave" the capital in the coming year.
Erica Belcher, who led the research, said: “The experience of the pandemic has been very different for different Londoners depending on individual circumstance.
“While some Londoners have been relatively sheltered from the economic fallout so far, many have seen a hit to their finances – and many of these were already struggling.
“Londoners remain broadly positive about their future in the city, but many could be facing real hardship once temporary measures protecting from income loss and eviction are phased out."
She urged: “As London plans its recovery, we need to rebuild a fair and prosperous city for all Londoners”.
Oliver Worsfold, Associate Director at market-research agency Savanta - which co-ran the survey - said: “Despite the current uncertainty, Londoners firmly feel that the city offers them the best opportunity to weather the storm – and very few see themselves leaving in the next 12 months.
“London’s diversity is a key strength of the city and this research further shows that recovery plans need to work for people of all backgrounds and circumstances.”
