Hounslow Borough Council has been working with us for several years to build a clearer understanding of inequalities across the borough and ensure that support reaches the communities experiencing the greatest levels of need.
As part of this work, we previously helped the council identify Equality Opportunity Areas: neighbourhoods where different forms of disadvantage overlap and where targeted action could have the greatest impact.
The original analysis brought together evidence from the 2019 Community Needs Index, the 2019 Index of Multiple Deprivation and the 2021 Census household deprivation measure to create a detailed picture of need at a local level.
The resulting areas gave the council a shared evidence base for shaping investment decisions, strengthening funding bids and informing local strategies. They also supported conversations with communities and partners by helping to show where challenges were most concentrated.
With the publication of the 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation and 2023 Community Needs Index, the council needed to revisit the original analysis and ensure that its priority areas continued to reflect current conditions across Hounslow.
We refreshed the Equality Opportunity Areas using the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation and Community Needs Index data, reviewing how patterns of need had changed since the original analysis.
Our work examined whether the existing areas continued to capture the neighbourhoods where different forms of disadvantage were most concentrated. Rather than relying on borough-wide averages or a single measure of need, we focused on local patterns and the way different challenges overlapped within particular communities.
We applied a clear and consistent methodology so that the updated areas could be understood in relation to the original work. This enabled the council to see where patterns had remained stable, where circumstances had shifted and where the evidence suggested that priority areas should be reconsidered.
Alongside the updated Equality Opportunity Areas, we provided a bespoke indicator data pack with data aggregated to clusters of areas. The data was organised around four themes developed by Hounslow Borough Council:
We delivered the council with a refreshed list of Equality Opportunity Areas, a clear explanation of the methodology used and a structured data resource aligned with its strategic priorities. Together, these outputs provide an up-to-date evidence base for future planning, investment decisions and targeted support across the borough.
Ensure you’re targeting the places with the greatest need
See how challenges vary between neighbourhoods, where they overlap and where hidden pockets of need may otherwise be missed
Use our analysis to support decision making, policy planning and improve funding bids
Advisory support to build a robust understanding of Community Resilience in Essex.
Identifying where limited community infrastructure overlaps with economic deprivation across Wales.