The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham sits in east London on the north bank of the River Thames, historically part of Essex. It contains neighbourhoods such as Barking, Dagenham and the large interwar public-housing estate at Becontree, with stretches of riverside, parks like Eastbrookend Country Park and an unmistakable post‑industrial skyline.
For much of the 20th century the area was shaped by industry - most famously the Ford Dagenham plant - and by social housing projects, and traces of that history remain alongside the ruins of Barking Abbey. In recent years there has been significant regeneration, notably new housing at Barking Riverside, while the borough’s diverse, working‑class communities support lively markets, community arts and an economy shifting from heavy industry to logistics, retail and services.