Barking and Dagenham has been named the least friendly place in England in a Community Life Survey measuring how often people chat to neighbours, feelings of loneliness and belonging, local pride, and levels of participation in civic life. A visit to Barking revealed sharply divided opinions among residents about the borough's character.
Mixed views from locals
Zabi Hullh, who has lived in Barking since moving to the country nine years ago, runs a busy corner shop on the main market stretch. He described the area as a transitional and transactional place. "A lot of people go elsewhere to work in the day, and then only come back at night to sleep," he said.
However, the bustling market on an overcast Thursday afternoon was lively, packed with shoppers haggling with stallholders, couples chatting outside cafes, and people enjoying early pints outside pubs. The market has existed on this road for hundreds of years, with the latest iteration of 80 stalls recently refreshed.
Defenders and critics
John and Bobby Bradford, who have lived in Barking their whole lives, are staunch defenders of the borough, which they have always found "very friendly." John, a retired BBC lighting technician, said: "We know our neighbours very well." Bobby added: "It seems no more or less lonely than anywhere else."
Lola Adams, who comes to Barking Market to spread the Gospel whenever she has time, finds people there chatty and "willing to engage." "I think loneliness is a state of mind. You can be with people and still be lonely. Faith, not religion, is what will help you. Knowing that someone is there with you," she said.
Others are far less positive. Alex Vilau, who runs a Romanian food kiosk with her husband Dragos, said: "There are a lot of homeless people and a lot of drugs. Homelessness is the biggest problem."
Deprivation and funding
Barking and Dagenham faces significant challenges, including an Index of Multiple Deprivation score of 10, making it one of the five most deprived local authorities in England. Around 29% of residents live in poverty, and 42% of children are growing up in poverty, while 23% of residents are low paid, the highest rate of any London borough. The borough also has the highest rate of excess weight among Year 6 children in the country.
Councillor Dominic Twomey, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, recently said: "In real terms, we receive 40% less funding than 15 years ago and barely 17% of our funding comes from Council Tax paid by residents. Like many other councils we are caught in a perfect storm. Funding for local services has not kept up pace with demand or the cost of providing services which has risen sharply. 2025 is the first time in years the core funding we receive from the government has risen. But this does not make up for the lack of funding since 2010/11."
Imran Butt, who runs a clothes stall midway down the market and has lived in the borough for 30 years, said things have gotten much worse. He claims to see people crying because they have been pickpocketed and watches groups of shoplifters mob the JD Sports across the pavement. "It's dangerous. It's not a safe place," he said, adding that he is wary of letting his teenage kids out into the town alone.
Despite the split opinions, everyone spoken to agreed that Barking used to be a better, friendlier place. At the other end of the scale, the Isles of Scilly, South Ham, and the Derbyshire Dales were named the three friendliest places in the country.
