The English Indices of Deprivation (IoD) are the widest-used measure of relative deprivation in small areas in England.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation (the overall measure) has been used to guide billions of pounds of investment by government, charities, funders and other organisations.
OCSI has co-led on the last three iterations of the English Indices of Deprivation, working alongside deprivation.org. We were commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to develop the dataset.
We work to support organisations to apply the data to their work, helping them to target resources, evidence need and track change across neighbourhoods.
OCSI has played a leading role in the development of the Indices for more than a decade. We co-led the development of the English Indices of Deprivation in 2015, 2019 and 2025, working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and expert partners to ensure the methodology remains robust, transparent and policy-relevant.
Our work has involved reviewing and refining the statistical methodology, updating the underlying indicators and datasets and ensuring the outputs remain accessible and useful for policymakers and analysts. Across multiple releases, we have helped maintain the Indices as one of the most widely used and trusted datasets for analysing deprivation in England.
For the 2025 release of the English Indices of Deprivation, OCSI co-led the project to review, update, enhance and redevelop the Indices following the previous 2019 edition.
The work involved assessing the methodology and indicators in light of the Department’s 2022 user consultation and changes in the wider policy and data landscape. This included:
The data and accompanying guidance for the English Indices of Deprivation are freely available to download from GOV.UK, supporting transparent and open access to this important national dataset.
Our research and analysis help organisations understand need, make evidence-based decisions and target support effectively.
The Index of Multiple Deprivation is one of the core measures used in the allocation of Pride in Place Programme funding for England. The Programme commits up to £5 billion of investment to around 200 neighbourhoods in England experiencing some of the poorest social and economic outcomes.
Find out moreThe Index of Multiple Deprivation is a key need driver in the Fair Funding Formula, underpinning how billions of pounds are distributed to local authorities in England. By capturing relative levels of deprivation, IMD directly informs the assessment of service demand within the formula’s core methodology. Areas with higher deprivation scores receive greater funding to reflect increased need, ensuring resources are targeted where they are most required.
Find out moreOur services
Precision tools and reporting for modern community analysis.
Local Insight lets you explore the Community Needs Index for any area across England, Wales and Scotland, alongside its three domains and 1,600+ additional datasets. Through maps, dashboards, reports and your own service data, you can uncover patterns of need, inequality, demand and provision in your communities.
Indices on Demand Area Reports provide instant, in-depth analysis of the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 for any local authority or parliamentary constituency.
OCSI On Demand provides instant community insight for any type of area, covering key social, economic and demographic themes. They help organisations understand doubly-disadvantaged neighbourhoods and support funding bids, strategy development, community engagement and background research.
Our Area Needs Analysis provides a fully bespoke view of community need at a local level. Using a wide range of social, economic and demographic datasets, we identify where challenges are most concentrated, how they intersect with deprivation, and where resources can be targeted most effectively.