I mean it’s worth remembering that some of the poorest areas in the country are in London. https://citymonitor.ai/community/uk-census-tower-hamlets-has-the-worst-child-poverty-rates-in-the-uk
Basically, the government doesn’t give a shit about poor people regardless of where they live. They just want to ensure that hedge fund managers living in Surrey can commute into their London office with a minimum of inconvenience.
https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/13/23638823/microsoft-ethics-society-team-responsible-ai-layoffs
It’s always one of the first things to get cut when companies try to save money.