Analysis of the 2007 Indices of Deprivation for New Start by Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI) showed a drop in the number of areas across the north featuring in the list of England’s most deprived neighbourhoods since the last figures in 2004.
The statistics were released by the government alongside details of council funding for the next three years.
Yorkshire and the Humber had 7.1% fewer super output areas, as the measurement zones are called, in the most deprived fifth, while there were drops of 10.3% in the northeast and 2.8% in the northwest.
In contrast, all the southern regions had more neighbourhoods in the most deprived fifth with the east going up by 1.4%, London by 7.2%, the southeast by 17.3% and southwest by 7.9%.
The picture for the midlands was mixed with an overall improvement in the east midlands but an increase in areas falling into the most deprived for the west midlands.
However, despite signs of recovery, OCSI said overall levels of deprivation in the north were still well above the national average. And almost all districts which fell into the 50 most deprived on one or more measurement in 2004 were still there in 2007.
Reflecting on the IMD figures, OCSI managing director Tom Smith said employment growth in the north could have helped to reduce deprivation. ‘Employment and worklessness is such a big driver in the indices it would have a big impact on the figures.’
See http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news/article/latest-index-reveals-deprivation-figures-are-falling-faster-in-north for the full New Start story.
The General Election 2024 changed the political geography of the UK. Labour…
More
What is UKGrantmaking? UKGrantmaking is a landmark publication on the state of…
More
The Marmot Review, published back in 2010, still has important implications today…
More