Hull Joint Strategic Needs Assessment

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Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

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The main measure of deprivation used within Hull’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment is the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD).

The latest version of the Index of Multiple Deprivation is 2025 which was published on 30 October 2025. The domains and weightings are the same as for the IMD 2019 although there have been significant changes to the underlying indicators with some indicators not longer included, some additions and some changes to the data sources or definitions due to changes (for example, changes to the benefit system has necessitated some changes to the indicators). The IMD 2025 is based on 55 indicators whereas the IMD 2019 was based on 39 indicators. Additionally, the geographical areas have changed slightly as the IMD 2025 is based on the lower layer super output areas (LSOA) produced following the 2021 Census, whereas the IMD 2019 is based on the LSOAs produced following the 2011 Census (although there are only a handful of LSOAs in Hull that changed between 2011 and 2021). There are 168 LSOAs in Hull following the 2021 Census.

The following text will be updated in due course.

The IMD 2019 score is a measure of deprivation produced nationally and derived for each lower layer super output area (LSOA) in England. When the latest IMD scores were derived in 2019, the latest LSOAs were from the 2011 Census, and there were 166 LSOAs at the time in Hull so there is an IMD score for each of Hull’s 166 LSOAs. The IMD 2019 scores have not been updated for the new LSOAs from the 2021 Census.

The IMD 2019 is based on seven domains which are weighted according to their relative importance in relation to the overall score (weights in brackets): (i) income deprivation (22.5%); (ii) employment deprivation (22.5%); (iii) health deprivation and disability (13.5%); (iv) education, skills and training deprivation (13.5%); (v) barriers to housing and services (9.3%); (vi) living environment deprivation (9.3%); and (vii) crime (9.3%). The IMD 2019 score measures deprivation, but is not such a good measure of affluence. As it is applied to a geographical area, it relates to average levels of deprivation within an area. Therefore, there may be some residents of the area who are very much more deprived or very much better-off relative to the average. A high score denotes more deprivation. Hull has a high IMD 2019 score and is ranked as the fourth most deprived local authority out of 317 across England. The scores are often classified into groups, and different characteristics, indicators and measures can be compared among people living in different LSOAs which have different IMD 2019 scores. The deprivation scores are frequently divided into five or ten groups. These groups can be determined at a national or local level. For instance, 90 (54%) of Hull’s 166 LSOAs fall within the bottom or most deprived 20% (fifth) of England’s LSOAs, and there are only four (2.4%) of Hull’s LSOAs in the least deprived fifth of areas of England. As so few of Hull’s LSOAs fall within the least deprived areas nationally, it is not sensible to examine deprivation in relation to the national groupings (as the numbers of people, events, deaths, hospital admissions are too small among those living in the least deprived national fifth of areas).  As a result, deprivation is generally examined within this JSNA in relation to locally deprived fifths. Thus the 166 LSOAs are grouped based on their deprivation scores into five groups from the most deprived fifth locally to the least deprived fifth locally. Characteristics can then be compared across these five groups, such as life expectancy, mortality rates, smoking prevalence, hospital admissions, etc.

The 39 indicators that make up the IMD 2019 are as follows:

INCOME DEPRIVATION (22.5%)

  • Adults and children in Income Support families
  • Adults and children in income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance families
  • Adults and children in income-based Employment and Support Allowance families
  • Adults and children in Pension Credit (Guarantee) families
  • Adults and children in Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit families, below 60% median income not already counted
  • Asylum seekers in England receipt of subsistence support, accommodation support, or both
  • Adults and children in Universal Credit families where no adult is in ‘Working – no requirements’ conditionally regime

EMPLOYMENT DEPRIVATION (22.5%)

  • Claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance, aged 18-59/64
  • Claimants of Employment and Support Allowance, aged 18-59/64
  • Claimants of Incapacity Benefit, aged 18-59/64
  • Claimants of Severe Disablement Allowance, aged 18-59/64
  • Claimants of Carer’s Allowance, aged 18-59/64
  • Claimants of Universal Credit in the ‘Searching for work’ and ‘No work requirements’ conditionally groups

EDUCATION, SKILLS & TRAINING DEPRIVATION (13.5%)

  • Key Stage 2 attainment: scaled scores
  • Key Stage 4 attainment: average capped point scores
  • Secondary school absence
  • Staying on in education post 16
  • Entry to higher education
  • Adults with no or low qualifications, aged 25-59/64
  • Adults who cannot speak English, or cannot speak English well, aged 25-59/64

HEALTH DEPRIVATION AND DISABILITY (13.5%)

  • Years of potential life lost
  • Comparative illness and disability ratio
  • Acute morbidity
  • Mood and anxiety disorders

CRIME (9.3%)

  • Recorded crime rates for violence, burglary, theft, and criminal damage

BARRIERS TO HOUSING AND SERVICES (9.3%)

  • Road distance to a post office, primary school, general store or supermarket, and GP surgery
  • Household overcrowding
  • Homelessness
  • Housing affordability

LIVING ENVIRONMENT DEPRIVATION (9.3%)

  • Housing without central heating
  • Housing in poor condition
  • Air quality
  • Road traffic accidents

 

Communities and Local Government, Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019 . 2019, Communities and Local Government: London. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2019

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. English indices of deprivation 2025: statistical release. Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: London. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2025/english-indices-of-deprivation-2025-statistical-release

 

Also see Lower Layer Super Output Areas.

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