Inner London is technically a term for the central part of Greater London, in contrast to Outer London.
It is also a term that is less precisely used to describe the poor areas of Central London outside the City of London, Westminster and Kensington as in: 'poverty/unemployment/good housing/good schooling is a major problem in Inner London'.
| ILEA's Inner London
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| ONS's Inner London
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For the purposes of the Inner London Education Authority, it consisted of Camden, the City, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, Westminster.
These London boroughs, along with North Woolwich, which was ceded to the London Borough of Newham, make up the entirety of the old County of London.
The term is also used in a variety of other contexts with different meanings. The Office for National Statistics and the Census uses the term, including Haringey and Newham in Inner London, but Greenwich in Outer London. This is also used by Eurostat at NUTS level 2.
Generally Inner London phone numbers have the form 020-7xxx-xxxx whilst Outer London ones have 020-8xxx-xxxx. Mnemonics to help remember this are SevINNER and EIGHTER London. The next range of numbers to be released in London which are 020-3xxx-xxxx will not be split in this way.
The London Borough of Newham is seeking recognition as an Inner London borough for central government grants, as this would have financial benefits for the Borough. It is not currently considered an Inner London Borough as it did not form part of the original pre-1965 County of London.
