COVID-19 in 'left-behind' neighbourhoods - A data dive

Decorative image with the text "left behind neighbourhoods"

Aims:

Local Trust commissioned OCSI to carry out a ‘data dive’ into the early impacts of COVID-19 in ‘left-behind’ neighbourhoods.

This analysis was carried out for use by the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on ‘left-behind’ neighbourhoods. The aim was to provide insight into the specific challenges ‘left behind’ areas face in relation to COVID-19.

Methodology:

The report builds on our original research with Local Trust, ‘Left behind? Understanding communities on the edge’. This defines ‘left behind’ areas as those neighbourhoods with the 10% highest need and deprivation in both the Index of Multiple Deprivation and the Community Needs Index.

This new analysis looks at the factors that make communities more vulnerable to COVID-19. For instance, clinical vulnerability and presence of vulnerable groups. In addition, it looks at the early response and impact of COVID-19 in left-behind neighbourhoods. For example, economic impacts and community response.

We then compared ‘left-behind’ areas to England as a whole and other deprived non ‘left-behind’ areas, to highlight where ‘left-behind’ areas are facing particular challenges.

Findings:

The British Red Cross Vulnerability Index identifies ‘left behind’ areas as more vulnerable to impacts of the pandemic than across other similarly deprived areas
‘Left behind’ areas are experiencing notable economic impacts arising from the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
‘Left behind’ areas have a relatively high proportion of vulnerable communities who are likely to require additional support.
Despite all of these factors, there is less evidence of a strong response from the voluntary and community sector in ‘left behind’ areas.

Read the full analysis

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