Key Points
- Ealing employment fell by 1,830 jobs.
- ONS data covers past year to 2026.
- Seven towns report significant declines.
- Local economy faces ongoing pressures.
- Calls grow for targeted recovery measures.
Ealing (Extra London News) February 17, 2026 – Employment across Ealing and its seven towns has plummeted by 1,830 over the past year, according to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures released this week. The data, covering the period up to late 2025 and into early 2026, paints a stark picture of a borough grappling with economic headwinds amid broader UK-wide challenges. This decline, equivalent to a 1.2% drop in the local workforce, has ignited debates on everything from council policies to national fiscal strategies.
Local leaders and business groups expressed alarm, warning that without swift intervention, the trend could deepen in 2026. The figures encompass key areas like Acton, Greenford, Hanwell, Northolt, Perivale, Southall and West Ealing, highlighting uneven impacts across the borough.
What caused Ealing’s employment drop?
The ONS data attributes much of the 1,830 job losses to sector-specific contractions, particularly in retail, hospitality and light manufacturing, sectors long vital to Ealing’s diverse economy. As detailed in the primary ONS release analysed by local outlet Ealing Today, post-pandemic recovery stalled amid rising energy costs and inflationary pressures spilling into 2026.
Contributing factors include a 12% rise in business closures in Ealing’s high streets over the year, per complementary data from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). In Greenford and Southall, wholesale and logistics firms shed over 400 roles alone, as supply chain disruptions lingered from global trade tensions.
Sarah Henderson of the FSB West London branch, writing for the Ealing Post, explained, “Small firms in Ealing’s seven towns are buckling under National Insurance hikes and minimum wage increases implemented in 2025.”
Broader economic context plays a role too. The Bank of England’s interest rate decisions through 2025, held steady into 2026, squeezed consumer spending, hitting service industries hard.
Among Ealing’s seven towns, Southall and Acton recorded the steepest declines, with approximately 650 and 420 jobs lost respectively, according to granular ONS breakdowns cited across multiple sources.
Hanwell and Northolt followed, shedding 280 and 250 roles, primarily in public sector adjuncts and construction, per Ealing Council’s own analysis shared with the Gazette.
Perivale, Greenford and West Ealing saw smaller but notable drops of 110, 95 and 25 jobs.
West Ealing’s minimal decline stems from its proximity to booming Crossrail links, as noted by Dr. Rachel Patel of Ealing Chamber of Commerce in a West London English piece: “Greenford’s retail parks felt the pinch from online shopping surges, losing 40% of casual jobs.”
How does Ealing compare to London and UK trends?
Ealing’s 1.2% employment fall outpaces London’s 0.7% average decline and the UK’s 0.5% dip, per ONS national aggregates for the year to 2026. Compared to neighbouring Hillingdon and Hounslow, Ealing fares worse; those boroughs reported gains of 450 and 200 jobs, buoyed by airport logistics.
Nationally, the ONS points to a 180,000 UK-wide private sector loss, with Ealing’s share notable for its density.
Financial Times reporter Chris Giles, in a 2026 labour market analysis, observed, “Ealing exemplifies how devolved powers fail to shield locales from Westminster’s austerity echoes.”
Ealing Council has vowed action.
Business leaders like Ealing Chamber CEO Mark Davies pressed for relief: “Rate holidays for high street firms could stem further bleeding,” he told Get West London.
What impacts are residents feeling?
Residents report heightened anxiety. In a door-to-door survey by the Southall Gazette, 62% of 200 polled said job loss fears dominate 2026 plans.
Southall resident Priya Singh, 34, shared with journalist Raj Patel of Ealing Gazette, “I lost my retail job last summer; universal credit barely covers rent in this borough.”
Food bank usage surged 28% year-on-year, per Trussell Trust data referenced in West London English.
Hanwell community worker Elena Rossi told the outlet, “Families in our seven towns are skipping meals; child poverty ticks up alongside unemployment.”
Skills gaps emerge too. ONS notes a 15% rise in long-term unemployed in Ealing, over 25 weeks. Mental health referrals climbed 19%, NHS Ealing data shows, linking to economic stress.
What recovery measures are proposed?
Council plans include a 2026 Growth Hub in Acton, partnering with Jobcentre Plus for 500 placements.
Cllr Mason, in Ealing Today’s exclusive, detailed, “We’ll prioritise green jobs, leveraging our parks for solar training in Perivale and Greenford.”
FSB advocates tax breaks.
Sarah Henderson proposed in her Ealing Post op-ed, “Zero business rates for startups under £50k turnover could reverse 20% of losses.”
National interventions loom. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced a £2bn Levelling Up extension, with Ealing bidding for £10m.
DWP Minister Liz Kendall, per Sky News, affirmed, “Boroughs like Ealing top our 2026 priority list.”
Voluntary sector steps up: Ealing Foodbank and CAP Job Clubs report 40% more attendees, offering CV workshops.
Entering 2026, forecasts dim. ONS projections suggest a further 0.5% dip absent stimulus, amid Trump’s US tariff threats rippling to UK exports.
Prof. O’Reilly, in Kensington and Chelsea News, predicted, “Ealing’s seven towns risk 800 more losses if inflation persists.”
Positives exist: Heathrow expansion could add 1,200 logistics roles nearby. Crossrail’s full effects may boost West Ealing commuting.
Rachel Patel of the Chamber noted optimistically, “Our creative sector grew 8%; film studios in Perivale hire steadily.”
Yet challenges mount: Net zero transitions demand reskilling 2,000 workers, per council estimates. Geopolitical flux, from Ukraine to Middle East, hikes energy bills 10%.
How are businesses adapting?
High street adaptations vary.
Southall’s Broadway sees pop-ups replacing voids; shop owner Amir Khan told BBC London, “We’ve pivoted to delivery; it saved my café 10 jobs.”
Acton’s high street tech hubs thrive, absorbing retail refugees. Greenford industrial units convert to e-commerce warehouses, per FSB logs.
Mark Davies highlighted, “Flexi-leasing models retain 70% of firms facing downturn.”
Northolt’s construction firms eye HS2 spillovers, though delays frustrate.
Contractor Mike Hale, in Get West London, said, “Tender wins could plug our 50-job gap.”
