A THIRD of people in Ryedale have the highest level of qualifications, new census figures show.

Office for National Statistics data shows that when the most recent census was carried out in March 2021, 33 per cent of people in Ryedale had a level 4 or higher qualification – such as a degree, postgraduate qualification, higher national certificate or diploma.

Nationally, 33.8 per cent of people aged 16 years and older stated they had a level 4 qualification or above.

At the other end of the scale, 17.7 per cent said they had no qualification in 2021 – slightly below the national level of 18.2 per cent.

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.

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

For areas with the highest proportion of people with no qualification, Sandwell (28.9 per cent) took the lead. It was followed by Blaenau Gwent (27.9 per cent), Boston (27.6 per cent), Merthyr Tydfil (26.9 per cent), and Leicester (26.7 per cent).