London: my home or millionaire’s playground?
As a student living alone in London it is very challenging living in the city where breathing puts you into your overdraft. I also grew up in London so it is my home but home is becoming more costly than moving away. That is exactly what is happening to so many: families, students and young professionals.
The family of five who have been moved from the Borough of Camden, Lambeth and Southwark to Cardiff, Newcastle or Birmingham. The children go to school here and either sofa surf with family friends and travel 1 hour 30 to school or they move out of their home: adapting to a new exam board, school culture, environment.
Of this group, a significant amount are from immigrant backgrounds meaning that it may have been the umpteenth time that they have had to settle to a new system, area and culture.
The student who dreams of studying in London and getting work experience in a city where incredible opportunities lay at the doorstep of each of the major London universities. But their loan doesn’t cover half of the expenses that being in London requires. It was estimated that a student requires roughly £20,000 per year to cope in London. When your maximum loan is roughly £10,000 and you don’t have parents to ask for help and a part time job conflicts with your course load, it is a huge undertaking that unfortunately is a push factor for many working-class students who would greatly benefit and contribute to the work and culture London is notable for.
So already two groups of working class people have been pushed away from London, young people who love this city, who love our galleries, skate parks, chicken shops and tube. Two groups who bring diversity, individuality and enrich our culture as a result. They have been deterred from this city because of the rising cost of living where the only people who can keep up are families who inherited their home in South Kensington or international students who think £500 a week rent is a discount their parents can easily cover.
This is by the way absolutely fine, wealthy people aren’t the problem but a city that consists solely of rich people as a means of generating capital for that city is a city much poorer as a result.
Because London isn’t home or one of the greatest cities on the planet because of the row of Mercs, Ferraris etc in Mayfair. It isn’t beloved because of the view of the Shard (it might be but not entirely) that investment bankers drinking £700 whiskey enjoy. It isn’t my home because of the grand homes that I won’t see the inside of until I marry a Saudi Prince. London is one of the greatest cities on Earth because, if affordable, it can be a home to all kinds of people.
We have the most diverse music scenes you can get, we have streets devoted to food and culture from around the world. An Indian can find home in the Gulab Jamun on Southall High Street, Portuguese people can find food from home in Stockwell and black guys can find their barbers somewhere in Peckham.
We are a melting pot of all kinds of cultures and interests. I work near a gymnastics club where the greatest gymnast in the world visited before the London Olympics, as someone with very niche interests, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than London. And that was the major pull factor for me along with family commitments for why I stayed in London.
I love this city but this city does not seem to love people of my background. I am lucky to receive more support than some but London feels like a millionaires playground when so many of us need multiple jobs to survive let alone thrive in this city.
