Sandwell has the highest proportion of people with no education qualification

A general view of a graduation ceremony at University Campus Suffolk in Ipswich.

Sandwell has the highest proportion of people with no qualifications, new census figures show.

The Higher Education Policy Institute said the figures, which show significantly different levels of education across England and Wales, highlight the importance of investment in education.

Office for National Statistics data shows that when the most recent census was carried out in March 2021, 28.9% of people in Sandwell had no education qualifications – the highest percentage across England and Wales.

Sandwell was followed by Blaenau Gwent (27.9%), Boston (27.6%), Merthyr Tydfil (26.9%), and Leicester (26.7%).

Nationally, 18.2% of people aged 16 years and older stated they did not have any qualification in 2021.

At the other end of the scale, 22.7% in Sandwell said they had a higher education qualification – below the national level of 33.8%.

Census deputy director Jon Wroth-Smith said the data shows London came out on top with the highest proportion of people with a level 4 or above qualification – nearly half the capital’s residents hold a higher-level certificate or degree.

“The region with the lowest proportion of people with Level 4 or above qualifications was the North East, with the East Midlands at a similar level, while the region with the highest proportion of people with no qualifications was the West Midlands, around one in five adults,” Mr Wroth Smith added.

Wandsworth had the most people with the highest qualifications outside of the City of London – 62.6%. It was followed by Richmond (60.4%), Kensington and Chelsea (59.5%), Westminster (57.7%), and Hammersmith (57.6%).

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank, said: “The numbers are stark. While they show how amazingly well-educated Londoners are relative to other areas, they also highlight the importance of education in true levelling up.

“London does well partly because people move there but also because the education system in the capital is very good, thanks to conscious decisions by policymakers over many years.

“If other areas are to compete with London, they need similar levels of investment and commitment. The jury is out on whether that is likely to happen given recent political changes.”