An article investigated some factors that influenced the relative progress of pupils aged 14-16 attending comprehensive schools from two English local education authorities. It was found that the quality of teaching was better in neighbourhoods of low child poverty. In addition, it was found that child poverty was also related to relative progress over Key Stage 4.
Source: John Bell, 'Beyond the school gates: the influence of school neighbourhood on the relative progress of pupils', Oxford Review of Education, Volume 29 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Dec
A new book contained an analysis of how geographical perspectives could be used to understand health inequalities. It discussed the geography of health inequality and strategies for reducing disadvantage; reviewed the theoretical basis for a geographical analysis of these problems; and explained how different methodologies in the geography of health, both quantitative and qualitative, could be applied in research.
Source: Sarah Curtis, Health and Inequality: Geographical perspectives, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2003-Dec
Researchers examined older people's lives in three deprived urban areas. Of those studied, 40 per cent experienced multiple forms of social exclusion, with those aged 75 and over most vulnerable.
Source: Thomas Scharf, Chris Phillipson, Allison Smith and Paul Kingston, Older People Living in Deprived Neighbourhoods: Social exclusion and quality of life in old age, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
A paper argued that the design of quantitative research studies of area effects had previously been 'somewhat crude', mainly because of data constraints, and the findings were therefore unconvincing and sometimes inconsistent. Exaggerated claims had been made about the relevance of neighbourhood effects studies for area-based policy, based on emphasising only one of the rationales for area-based programmes, while neglecting others.
Source: Ruth Lupton, 'Neighbourhood Effects': Can we measure them and does it matter?, CASEpaper 73, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2003-Nov
Campaigners said that 1,500 banks in urban and rural communities were threatened with closure, with around 300 last banks in small towns and villages most at risk.
Source: Bank Branch Relative Proximity, Campaign for Community Banking Services (01582 764760)
Links: Report | CCBS press release | Help the Aged press release
Date: 2003-Nov
A paper discussed the rationale for a new indicator of 'difficulty of access to owner occupation' within the English indices of deprivation (the indicator would be presented as the proportion of target households who were not able to afford to become owner-occupiers on the basis of their income). Another paper discussed a new indicator based on mental health.
Source: Updating the English Indices of Deprivation 2000: Proposals for the Construction of the Indicator Difficulty of Access to Owner Occupation', Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (web publication only) | Updating the English Indices of Deprivation 2000: Proposal for the Production of a Small Area Estimate of Mental Health for the English Index of Multiple Deprivation, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (web publication only)
Links: Owner occupation paper (pdf) | Mental health paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
A report called for a 20mph speed limit on residential roads, which it said could reduce children s deaths and injuries by 67 per cent. It said that the death rate for pedestrian accidents was five times higher for children from the lowest social class compared to those from the highest social class.
Source: Louise Millward, Antony Morgan and Michael Kelly, Prevention and Reduction of Accidental Injury in Children and Older people, Health Development Agency (0870 121 4194)
Links: Report (pdf) | HDA press release
Date: 2003-Oct
Researchers examined the influence of area characteristics and individual behaviour on employment participation, childcare use, partnership formation and level of hardship. Before including individual-level influences, the outcomes that were most differentiated by area were income, childcare costs and maintenance received. About one fifth of variations in individuals incomes could be attributed to ward-level differences. Nearly half of all lone parents (49 per cent) were living in the most deprived 20 per cent of wards, compared with one-quarter (26 per cent) of couples with children. The employment situation and the standard of housing within a ward were both significantly related to the likelihood of being on a low income, once the characteristics of individuals in that area were taken into account.
Source: Stephen McKay, Local Area Characteristics and Individual Behaviour, In-House Report 123, Department for Work and Pensions (0113 399 4040)
Links: Report (pdf) | DWP press release
Date: 2003-Oct
An independent report recommended that the Scottish Executive should begin to develop a measure of deprivation at the individual level in addition to the area-based measures, focusing on the poor material and social living standards which people faced as a result of poverty. The Executive said that the report provided a 'sound basis' for developing a long-term strategy for measuring deprivation, and accepted all the recommendations in principle.
Source: Nick Bailey et al., Measuring Deprivation in Scotland: Developing a long-term strategy - Final report, Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400) | Press release 10 September 2003, Scottish Executive
Links: Report | SE response | SE press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A summary was published of responses to an official consultation exercise on changes to the indices of local deprivation for England. There was strong support for retaining the existing methodology, with only a small number of respondents calling for a full review. Following the consultation, a draft 'blueprint' report was published, setting out actual plans for updating the indices, including proposed indicators, domains and domain weights. An independent assessment of the blueprint report was also published. The units of area proposed for the indices would allow pockets of deprivation to be more accurately targeted, based on data from areas of 1,000-3,000 people, rather than 800-35,000 under the existing system.
Source: Indices of Deprivation 2000 (Id 2000): Update summary of responses to the stage one consultation report, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 8383) | Updating the English Indices of Deprivation 2000: Stage 2 blueprint consultation report, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister | Jonathan Bradshaw, Review for the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit of Blueprint for the Index of Multiple Deprivation At small area level, Neighbourhood Renewal Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Links: Consultation responses | Blueprint report | Review of Blueprint
Date: 2003-Aug
The government announced that children in deprived areas would benefit from 2.2 million in new funding - earmarked for training volunteers who would teach road safety skills in schools. 24 local authorities would each be offered 90,000 over three years to fund the new initiative.
Source: Press release 31.7.03, Department for Transport (020 7944 3000)
Links: DT press release
Date: 2003-Jul
The government began consultation on ways to increase job creation and enterprise in deprived areas. A study by the Social Exclusion Unit would examine help to people who were out of work, and barriers to work; training opportunities; childcare; transport; the informal economy; and steps to raise self-employment and business start-up levels.
Source: Jobs and Enterprise in Deprived Areas, Social Exclusion Unit/Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (020 7944 5550)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Scoping note (Word file) | SEU consultation page | ODPM press release
Date: 2003-Jul
A committee of MPs expressed a series of concerns over proposals to deregulate the retail pharmacy market. It said that if deregulation led to some communities being left without access to local pharmacy services, the social impact among elderly and less privileged groups could be 'grave'.
Source: The Control of Entry Regulations and Retail Pharmacy Services in the UK, Fifth Report (Session 2002-03), HC 571, House of Commons Health Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | RPS press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jun
A report said that the new social justice ministry in the Welsh Assembly government faced a difficult task. It said that the main weapon for tackling deprivation would be the 83 million 'Communities First' programme targeted at 142 of the most disadvantaged wards in Wales: but local authorities appeared to be the main agents for delivery of the programme.
Source: Welsh Labour Takes Control: National Assembly monitoring report March to June 2003, Institute of Welsh Affairs (029 2057 5511)
Links: IWA press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A report described a 'fuel poverty indicator', designed as a powerful new tool for predicting levels of fuel poverty in each electoral ward in England.
Source: William Baker, Graham Starling and David Gordon, Predicting Fuel Poverty at the Local Level: Final report on the development of the Fuel Poverty Indicator, Centre for Sustainable Energy (0117 929 9950)
Links: Report (pdf) | CSE press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A market intelligence report contained an analysis of incomes by postcode. It said that the incomes of employees had increased on average by 48 per cent between 1996 and 2003. Income growth had not been uniform across the country and higher rates of growth were occurring in the already affluent south east region. The five poorest local authorities were in the north, Wales, south west and East Anglia - belying 'simplistic' talk of a north/south divide.
Source: Wealth of the Nation 2003, CACI Ltd (020 7602 6000)
Links: Summary (pdf) | CACI press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Jun
A new lottery funding scheme, the 'Fair Share Trust', was launched with 50 million from the New Opportunities Fund. The money would be invested in 70 disadvantaged communities that had yet to receive their fair share of lottery funding. It would be used to support environmental improvement schemes, boost skills and employment opportunities, and help communities to secure future funding. Funding would be spread over a ten-year period.
Source: Press release 11.6.03, New Opportunities Fund (0845 039 0204)
Links: No link
Date: 2003-Jun
The Northern Ireland Executive published a new strategy for the renewal of the most deprived neighbourhoods in urban areas. The strategy would involve targeting the worst 10 per cent of urban wards and enumeration districts as measured by the 'Noble multiple deprivation measure'; and would promote partnership with key political, statutory, private, community and voluntary sector organisations in each area.
Source: People and Places: Strategy for neighbourhood renewal, Department of Social Development/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9056 9216)
Links: Report (pdf) | NIE press release
Date: 2003-Jun
Key statistics were published from the 2001 Census, analysed by each of the 8,875 wards and electoral divisions in England and Wales.
Source: Census 2001: Key Statistics for Wards in England and Wales, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Census webpage
Date: 2003-Jun
A research paper reviewed the different results produced by area deprivation indices. It examined the effectiveness of the index of multiple deprivation in targeting the poor, finding that area targeting using the IMD 2000 was a more complete way of reaching the poor than had been claimed by opponents of area-based targeting.
Source: Ruth Lupton and Rebecca Tunstall, Is Targeting Deprived Areas an Effective Means to Reach Poor People? Assessment of one rationale for area-based funding programmes, CASEpaper 70, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Abstract
Date: 2003-Jun
A report contained the findings of a project that investigated the distribution of older people living on income-related benefits. All wards and districts in England and Wales were ranked and mapped to highlight the most disadvantaged areas. The results were analysed at a regional, England and Wales, and Wales-only level. It was found that 30 per cent of those aged over 74 were dependent on means-tested benefits: but in the 30 wards with the highest dependency rates, the proportion ranged from 79 per cent to more than 97 per cent.
Source: Myfanwy Lloyd, David McLennan, Michael Noble, Maria Sigala and Gemma Wright, Older People Count: The Help the Aged income index for older people in England and Wales 2003, Help the Aged (020 7278 1114)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Help the Aged press release | Guardian report | Observer report
Date: 2003-May
An article compared the use of the index of multiple deprivation 2000 with the use of the 'Townsend index' of deprivation as measures of health inequalities. It concluded that the Townsend index remained a reliable measure of health inequalities when compared with the more recent and 'complex' index of multiple deprivation.
Source: Jacqueline Hoare, 'Comparisons of area-based inequality measures and disease morbidity in England, 1994-1998', Health Statistics Quarterly 18, Summer 2003, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2003-May
A briefing paper analysed the impact of deprivation on the results of the 'comprehensive performance assessment' exercise for local authorities.
Source: Understanding the Relationship between CPA Outcomes and Deprivation, Audit Commission (0800 502030)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Apr
Government guidance was issued to local highway authorities on the need to address the particular road safety problems within disadvantaged areas. It noted that children from the most disadvantaged groups ('social class V') were five times more likely to die as pedestrians in a road accident than children from the most advantaged groups ('social class I').
Source: Tackling the Road Safety Implications of Disadvantage, Department for Transport (0870 1226 236)
Links: Guidance
Date: 2003-Apr
The government announced that updated indices of deprivation would not be available for publication in July 2003 as previously planned. It said that additional data would be needed on crime, and that additional research would be needed to enable the indices to be based on consistent geographic units (rather than wards). Publication was postponed until the winter of 2003.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 24.3.03, column 4WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2003-Mar
Research found that the Community Fund was the most important source of funds for many poor and deprived communities in England.
Source: Mike Coombes, Neil Alderman and Simon Raybould, Mapping Grants to Deprived Communities, Community Fund (020 7747 5300)
Links: Report (pdf) | CF press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb
The New Opportunities Fund announced 50 healthy eating schemes, totaling 7.4 million. The 'Five-a-Day' community initiatives are designed to make it easier for families on low incomes to access fruit and vegetables.
Source: Press release 18.2.03, New Opportunities Fund (0845 039 0204)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
Researchers reported favourably on the national e-learning foundation (launched in 2001 to help the government s plans to bridge the digital divide , by providing children from low-income families and in disadvantaged areas with access to portable computers and internet access to learning materials).
Source: Kate Calamatta, Paul Rhodes, Kerry Watson and Teresa Wilde, An Evaluation of the National e-Learning Foundation, Research Report RBX1-03, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Brief (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
A report concerning the measurement of relative deprivation in Scotland was published. The report focused on measures of deprivation at ward and local authority level. It identified areas that are multiply deprived, and also those that are deprived within a specific domain, such as income or employment.
Source: Scottish Indices of Deprivation 2003, Social Disadvantage Research Centre/University of Oxford, available from Scottish Executive (0131 556 8400)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Summary | Report | Press release (1) | Press release (2)
Date: 2003-Feb
Responding to a government consultation on revising the English indices of deprivation, a think tank said that the index of multiple deprivation was not suited for use in budget allocation by third parties; that changes to indicators should only be made if the benefits were clear, major and unambiguous - and that some of the proposed changes failed against this principle; and that serious consideration should be given to introducing a new ethnic domain.
Source: Updating the English Indices of Deprivation: Response, New Policy Institute (020 7721 8421)
Links: Response
Date: 2003-Feb
A new book set out a programme for the 'asset-based development' of communities. This would involve building individual and collective ownership of key assets - savings and investments, land and property and learning, as well as health, social and cultural capital, organisational capital and the natural capital of air, water and land.
Source: Matthew Pike, Can Do Citizens: Rebuilding marginalised communities, Social Enterprise Services (020 7689 6366)
Links: Summary (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Feb
A report evaluated the 'Wired Up Communities' project, designed to bridge the 'digital divide' by enabling socially excluded communities to use information technology to access jobs, learning opportunities, government and other services. The evaluation found that there been notable successes in encouraging participants to get online and/or to stay online: the majority of survey respondents had accessed the internet, and almost half of the participants received some training in internet use. However, in spite of being provided with the technology in the home, a quarter of survey respondents had not used it to access the internet.
Source: David Devins, Alison Darlow, Andrew Petrie and Tom Burden, Connecting Communities to the Internet: Evaluation of the Wired Up Communities Programme, Research Report 389, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260)
Links: Report (pdf) | Brief (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jan
An article reported on a new methodology to produce experimental estimates of unemployment levels and rates, on the International Labour Office definition, for unitary authorities and local authority districts.
Source: David Hastings, Nick Maine, Gary Brown and Marie Cruddas, 'Development of improved estimation methods for local area unemployment levels and rates', Labour Market Trends, January 2003, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jan