Indices of Deprivation 2007
The new Indices of Deprivation replace the 2004 Index of Multiple Deprivation(link to that page) and, as with their predecessor, data is analysed at Census Lower Super Output (LSOA) level. This means that some comparisons can be made between comparative deprivation levels in different parts of the city over the last four years.
Nationally, Wolverhampton is the 28th most deprived local authority in England. This means the city is comparatively more deprived than it was in 2004, when it was placed 35th. It is important to note that this does not mean Wolverhampton has become more deprived, deprivation levels may merely not have improved as quickly in Wolverhampton as in other areas.
The indices assess deprivation across the seven domains listed below and these and weighted and combined to produce an overall score for each LSOA.
The map below shows overall deprivation rankings for each LSOA in Wolverhampton. Results are banded to show LSOAs which fall into the 1%, 5%, 10% and 20% most deprived in England.
Income
This domain is calculated by assessing the percentage of residents on income tested benefits and tax credits. Due to changes in the benefits and tax credit systems, there have been changes in how this domain is calculated and this will have affected deprivations rates.
The major headline in this domain is that in 2004 two LSOAs, in Low Hill South and The Scotlands, were ranked 9th and 11th (out of 32,482) in England. These two, shown in Figure 2, are now ranked 24th and 33rd. This is a significant improvement but they are still amongst the 0.1% most income deprived areas in England.
The map below shows the distribution of this type of deprivation in Wolverhampton.
This domain also has two sub-domains, Income Deprivation Affecting Children and Income Deprivation Affecting Older People. The maps below show the distribution of Income Deprivation Affecting Children within the city.
Employment
This domain is not just a measure of the registered unemployed, but also considers those of working age on other benefits and those on New Deal schemes.
Over half the LSOAs in Wolverhampton fall within the 20% most deprived in England.
Education Skills and Training
This domain has two elements, Skills deprivation (low qualification levels amongst adults) and Children/Young People deprivation (low educational attainment). Over three times as many LSOAs fall within the 5% most deprived in England under the Skills deprivation sub-domain as under the Children/Young People sub-domain, which suggests that this form of deprivation is concentrated amongst the adult population.
Health Deprivation and Disability
No LSOAs in Wolverhampton fall within the 1% most deprived in England under this domain and only 5 (3%) fall within the 5% most deprived, suggesting there is less of this type of deprivation in the city than the national average.
Living Environment
This domain comprises of an indoor domain, measuring the quality of housing, and an outdoor domain consisting of air quality and traffic accident statistics. No LSOAs in Wolverhampton fall within the 1% most deprived in England under this domain, but over a third fall within the 20% most deprived.
Barriers to Housing and Services
Wolverhampton has very low rates of this type of deprivation, which typically affects rural areas and central London. It looks at access to essential services such as doctors, schols and shops as well as barriers to housing, including rates of homelessness and housing affordability.
