Catford South Ward Profile
Introduction
Catford South is a diverse, family oriented ward characterised by strong neighbourhood life and a practical, functional character. The ward combines residential streets with local shopping parades and excellent access to neighbouring Rushey Green and its town centre’s civic, cultural and commercial assets.
The River Quaggy offers valued space for wellbeing. Catford South’s population reflects the wider borough’s diversity, with many residents actively engaged in schools, faith groups and local initiatives.
Key facilities in Catford South
Through the NCIL 2025–27 programme, a total of £2.55 million was allocated across the borough to support both borough-wide and ward-level priorities. Borough-wide projects received £621,732.92, funding 15 initiatives including four Council-led capital projects such as air quality monitors, deployable CCTV, improvements to Home Park, and a new basketball court at Hilly Fields. A further 11 community-led projects supported a range of residents and community needs, including projects for visually impaired residents, LGBTQ+ communities, refugees and migrants, autistic young people, Black-led organisations, food justice initiatives, employability support, mentoring, parenting support, and arts and performance activities.
Within this wider programme, Catford South was allocated £40,331.36 in NCIL funding, supporting six projects in the ward. Four Council-led capital projects included new street bins and trees, improvements to a basketball court and contributions towards railings for a community space. Two community-led projects, including one cross-ward initiative, focused on supporting the health and wellbeing of older residents.
Population
Catford South has an estimated population of 17,861 residents in 2024. Among its residents, 52% are female, and 48% are male. The population density in Catford South is 7,829 people per square kilometre.
in 2024
in 2024
Proportion of Population Groups in Catford South, ONS 2024
| Catford South | Lewisham | London | England | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children and Youth (0-19) | 24.1% | 24.4% | 24.2% | 23% |
| Senior (65+) | 14.9% | 10.8% | 11.8% | 19.2% |
| Working age (20-64) | 61% | 64.8% | 64% | 57.8% |
Population by five-year age group and gender in Catford South, ONS 2024
Diversity
Ethnicity
31.4% of Catford South residents have an ethnicity of White British (White English, Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish), compared to 37.2% in Lewisham as a whole, 36.8% in London, and 73.5% in England.
Among those not White British, the three most common ethnicities are Black Caribbean (15.5%), Black African (11.8%), and Other White (10.2%).
Ethnicity (excluding White British) in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Religion
50.5% of Catford South residents identify as Christian, compared to 43.8% in Lewisham as a whole, 48.4% in London, and 59.4% in England.
Among those not identifying as Christian, the three most common religions are No religion (25.7%), Muslim (9.3%), and Not Stated (8.1%).
Religion and beliefs in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Country of birth
Country of birth
64.8% of Catford South residents were born in the UK, compared to 64.4% in Lewisham as a whole, 61.1% in London, and 83.5% in England.
Among those not born in the UK, the three most common countries of birth are Jamaica (11.6%), Nigeria (9.4%), and Sri Lanka (8%).
Country of birth by global region (excluding UK) in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Country of birth (excluding England) in
Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Languages
84.2% of Catford South residents speak English as their primary language, compared to 83.8% in Lewisham as a whole, 77.9% in London, and 92% in England.
Of the remaining residents, 12.5% can speak English well or very well.
English proficiency in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Population speaking little or no English in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
On the other hand, 3.3% of residents cannot speak English well or at all, compared to a Lewisham average of 3.3%.
This means an estimated 589 people in Catford South may require everyday language support.
Deprivation
Index of Multiple Deprivation
The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is the official measure of relative deprivation in England. It is based on multiple factors: income, employment, education, health and disability, crime, barriers to housing and services, and the living environment.
The IMD is determined for small areas called Lower-layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs). Each LSOA is ranked from most deprived to least deprived nationally, and then grouped into ten deciles. Decile 1 represents the most deprived 10% of LSOAs in England.
Of the 9 LSOAs in Catford South, 0 rank in the bottom 20% of the country (decile 1 or 2).
LSOAs in most deprived 20%
Deprivation in Catford South
Household deprivation
Household deprivation is measured across four dimensions: education, employment, health and housing. A household may be classed as deprived if it has low educational attainment, unemployment or economic inactivity due to long-term sickness or disability, poor health or disability, or housing issues such as overcrowding, shared accommodation or no central heating.
In Catford South, there are 6,263 households in total.
3,323 households are deprived in at least one dimension, representing 53.1% of households.
Of these, 1,230 households are deprived in two or more dimensions, representing 19.6% of households.
Household deprivation in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Fuel poverty and EPC
Fuel poverty in England is measured using the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) definition. Under this measure, a household is considered to be in fuel poverty if it lives in a property with low energy efficiency and, after meeting the required cost of heating the home, would be left with a residual income below the official poverty line.
Fuel poverty varies across small areas and is often strongly linked to housing quality, insulation, heating systems, and household income. Mapping fuel poverty at LSOA level helps to show where households may be most exposed to higher energy costs and lower energy efficiency.
In the 9 LSOAs in Catford South, the proportion of households in fuel poverty ranges from 9% to 14.5%.
Proportion of households in fuel poverty
LSOA-level map, Catford South outlined
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were first introduced in England and Wales in 2007, and are valid for 10 years. They contain information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs, and recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money. Dwellings are rated between A (highly energy efficient) and G (highly inefficient.) The average EPC rating for dwellings in England is D.
In Catford South, 50% of assessed households have received an EPC rating of A, B, or C, which means they are highly energy-efficient. It is estimated that the share of highly energy-efficient dwellings in Catford South could be as high as 87% if home owners were to carry out the improvements recommended during their assessment.
Housing and Affordability
Accommodation type and tenure
31.4% of Catford South residents live in flats, compared to 56.4% in Lewisham as a whole, 52.6% in London, and 21.4% in England. Among Catford South residents, the three most common accommodation types are Semi-detached (33.5%), Flat (31.4%), and Terraced (30.7%).
17.6% of Catford South residents live in social rented accommodation, compared to 29.2% in Lewisham as a whole, 23.1% in London, and 17.1% in England. Among Catford South residents, the three most common types of tenure are Owned (60.6%), Private rented (20.6%), and Social rented (17.6%).
Accommodation type in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Types of tenure in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
House prices
House prices in Lewisham remain lower than those for London as a whole. In 2020, the median house price in the borough was £430,000 compared with £483,000 for Greater London and £249,000 for England.
In terms of relative affordability based on median prices, Lewisham had a median workplace-based income to house price ratio in 2020 of 12.3x. Based on median ratios, Lewisham was relatively more affordable than Lambeth, Greenwich and Bromley; and less affordable than Southwark, Croydon, Tower Hamlets and London overall, the South East region and England.
Relative affordability of median prices by local authority area, ONS 2021
| Workplace-based | Resident-based | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Southwark | 14.23 | 13.88 | 13.87 | 12.12 | 15.28 | 15.35 | 14.31 | 13.83 |
| Lambeth | 14.70 | 14.50 | 14.30 | 14.21 | 15.03 | 13.82 | 14.40 | 13.10 |
| London | 7.91 | 12.26 | 12.05 | 11.78 | 13.25 | 13.09 | 12.75 | 12.52 |
| Tower Hamlets | 9.82 | 9.85 | 10.67 | 9.98 | 12.88 | 12.73 | 11.50 | 12.12 |
| Greenwich | 12.87 | 12.97 | 13.77 | 12.73 | 12.67 | 11.95 | 12.72 | 12.00 |
| Lewisham | 12.61 | 13.65 | 13.27 | 12.33 | 12.28 | 12.20 | 12.74 | 11.55 |
| Bromley | 14.59 | 14.30 | 13.85 | 13.30 | 10.83 | 11.00 | 10.73 | 10.55 |
| Croydon | 11.21 | 11.09 | 10.83 | 11.34 | 10.73 | 10.46 | 10.97 | 10.41 |
| South East | 10.25 | 10.37 | 10.05 | 9.92 | 9.79 | 9.92 | 9.67 | 9.57 |
| England | 7.91 | 8.04 | 7.88 | 7.84 | 7.91 | 8.04 | 7.88 | 7.84 |
Employment
In the 2021 Census, the unemployment rate in Catford South was 4.4% among residents aged 16+, compared to a Lewisham average of 4.9%.
34.8% of residents are not economically active, for example because they are in education, looking after home or family, long-term sick or disabled, or in retirement.
The three most common occupations in Catford South are Professional occupations (23.6%), Associate professional and technical occupations (14.3%), and Managers, directors and senior officials (12.3%).
Economic activity in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Occupation groups in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Income
Equivalised household income adjusts total household income to account for the number of people living in a household and their age. This allows for more meaningful comparisons of living standards between areas.
In Catford South, the estimated median equivalised household income is £43,341, compared with £44,403 in Lewisham, £46,835 in London, and £39,597 across the United Kingdom.
The estimated mean equivalised household income in Catford South is £48,344. The difference between mean and median income can indicate the extent to which higher-income households influence the average.
Income levels affect residents’ ability to meet everyday costs, access suitable housing, and withstand financial pressures.
Comparing median, mean, lower quartile and upper quartile income gives a broader picture than a single average, showing both typical income levels and the spread across households.
Household income estimates
PayCheck 2025
Benefit Claimants
The Claimant Count measures the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits. It provides a timely indicator of labour market conditions at local level.
In March 2026, there were 775 Claimant Count claimants in Catford South. This represented 5.2% of all Lewisham claimants in March 2026.
Claimant Count Jan–Mar 2026
Nomis 2026
Claimant Count in Catford South
March 2026, Catford South outlined
Health and Wellbeing
Catford South has slightly better health outcomes than Lewisham overall, with a lower proportion of residents reporting bad or very bad health, and a lower proportion of residents with disability under the Equality Act.
General health and disability
has Very bad or Bad health
4.3% in Lewisham
Residents in Catford South reporting bad or very bad health account for 4.2%, compared with 4.3% in Lewisham, 4.2% in London, and 5.2% in England.
General health
ONS Census 2021
disabled under the Equality Act
14.4% in Lewisham
In Catford South, 14% of residents are disabled under the Equality Act, compared with 14.4% in Lewisham, 13.2% in London, and 17.3% in England.
Disability status
ONS Census 2021
Unpaid care
Providing unpaid care includes supporting family members, friends or neighbours because of long-term physical or mental ill health, disability, or needs related to older age.
In Catford South, 7.9% of residents aged 5 and over provide some unpaid care, compared with 7.1% in Lewisham.
A smaller group provide high-intensity care: 2.1% of Catford South residents provide 50 or more hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.8% in Lewisham.
Unpaid care can affect residents’ health, employment and financial wellbeing, particularly where people provide many hours of care each week.
Most residents in Catford South do not provide unpaid care, but those who do may need access to flexible support, advice and respite services.
Unpaid care in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Environment
Air quality is an important factor influencing health and wellbeing. Local conditions can vary across neighbourhoods depending on traffic, urban form, and environmental factors.
Up-to-date information on air quality in Lewisham is available via the official monitoring and forecasting platform.
Air quality in Lewisham
This site provides:
- Monitoring: real-time air quality data collected from monitoring sites across the Lewisham area, managed by Ricardo.
- Forecasts: short-term air quality forecasts based on a combination of Defra pollution data and Met Office weather forecasts.
These tools help residents and stakeholders understand current conditions and anticipate periods of poorer air quality.
Education
Educational attainment
There are nine qualification levels in England: Entry level and Levels 1–9. Levels 1–2 cover GCSE and equivalent qualifications, Level 3 covers A-level and equivalents, and Levels 4–8 cover higher education equivalents.
In Catford South, a relatively high proportion of residents have no formal qualifications compared to Lewisham and London, while fewer residents hold Level 4 qualifications and above.
This indicates a more mixed attainment profile, with a larger share of residents concentrated in lower qualification levels.
In Catford South, 17.7% of residents have no qualifications; 8.2% have Level 1 qualifications; 11.5% have Level 2 qualifications; 3.4% have an apprenticeship; 14.2% have Level 3 qualifications; and 41.8% have Level 4 qualifications and above.
Educational attainment in Catford South
ONS Census 2021
Crime
In the period January–December 2025, the number of recorded crimes in Lewisham was 27,542, excluding sexual offences.
Of 1,357 recorded crimes in Catford South, the three most common offences were Violence against the person (454), Theft (286), and Vehicle offences (195).
Recorded crimes by type in Catford South
MPS Jan–Dec 2025
Data Sources
- Ward & LSOA boundaries: Office for National Statistics (ONS)
- Community resources: Lewisham corporate postgis (MapThat)
- Population estimates: ONS mid-2024 population estimate
- Diversity - Ethnicity & religion: ONS Census 2021
- Diversity - Country of birth: ONS Census 2021
- Diversity - Main language & English proficiency: ONS Census 2021
- Deprivation: Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government 2025
- Fuel poverty & EPC: Fuel poverty: Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) 2023 EPC: Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities 2022
- Housing & affordability: Accommodation & tenure: ONS Census 2021 Affordability: ONS 2021
- Household composition: ONS Census 2021
- Employment (Economic activity and occupation): ONS Census 2021
- Income: CACI PayCheck 2025
- Benefit claimants: DWP 2025-26
- Health and wellbeing: ONS Census 2021
- Education: Educational attainment: ONS Census 2021
- Crime: Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)
Further Information
Ward Profiles were produced by the Council’s Corporate Data Science, Insight & Performance Team, which is based in the Chief Executive’s Directorate.
If you have any questions, feedback or comments, please contact the Team via email: insight-and-delivery@lewisham.gov.uk.