Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019: analysis relating to areas of deep-rooted deprivation

This analysis describes the patterns seen in indicator data between different 'Deep-Rooted Deprivation' categories. This follows on from the original deep-rooted deprivation analysis (StatsWales) which identified which small areas (Lower Layer Super Output Areas or LSOAs) have remained in the top 50 most deprived areas in Wales since 2005. This analysis was new to WIMD 2019, and further background can be found in the WIMD 2019 results report (section 2.6). 

The deep-rooted deprivation categories, and number of areas within each category, are as follows:

• LSOAs in Deep-Rooted Deprivation (in top 50 most deprived areas for the last 5 publications of WIMD), 26 LSOAs (StatsWales)
• LSOAs moving in and out of the top 50 most deprived, 35 LSOAs (StatsWales)
• LSOAs ranked once in the top 50 most deprived, 18 LSOAs (StatsWales)
• LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived, 1,830 LSOAs (StatsWales)

Since WIMD is a measure of relative deprivation, it doesn’t give an indication of the level of deprivation in these small areas. The small areas that fall into the deep-rooted deprivation category may have seen a decrease in levels of deprivation since WIMD 2005, but are still some of the most deprived when compared against other small areas in Wales.

The below analysis summarises patterns for key deprivation indicators, a link to the full table of indicators by deep-rooted deprivation category can be found in the data tab. As seen in the income and employment section below, it can be useful to compare deprivation levels for areas in deep-rooted deprivation against areas in the top 10% most deprived in Wales for WIMD 2019. Indicator data by deprivation tenths is available on StatsWales to allow users to make their own comparisons. More details on indicator definitions are available in the WIMD 2019 Technical Report.

The Wales average value for indicator data is often around the same value as for LSOAs that have never been ranked in the top 50 most deprived, due to this being by far the largest category.

Income and employment deprivation

• The percentage of people in income deprivation in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation (43%) was almost 3 times that of areas that have never been ranked in the top 50 most deprived (15%). It was also around 3 times the Wales average (16%).
• For context, 35% of people in the 191 areas forming the 10% most deprived in WIMD 2019 were in income deprivation. Those areas include all 26 areas in deep-rooted deprivation, and as stated above, the rate for that group in particular was higher still at 43%.

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Indicator data by Deep-Rooted Deprivation category (StatsWales)

• A similar pattern is seen for employment deprivation, where the percentage of working-age people in employment deprivation for LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation was 27% compared to 10% for LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived. For context, the percentage for the top 10% most deprived areas in WIMD 2019 was 22%.

Health

• The GP recorded chronic condition rate was 22 per 100 people in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation, compared to 14 per 100 for LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived.
• Over 8% of live single births in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation weighed under 2.5kg (the Wales average was 5.5%). The LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived was the only category to have a percentage lower than the Wales average, at 5.3%.
• The percentage of children aged 4 to 5 who are obese was slightly higher in areas in deep-rooted deprivation (15%) than in areas never ranked in the top 50 most deprived (12%).

Education

• The Foundation Phase average point score indicator is based upon the results of teacher assessments for pupils taught in year 2. The Foundation Phase average point score for those in areas never ranked in the top 50 most deprived was 104, compared to 99 for those in deep-rooted deprivation.
• The repeat absenteeism rate amongst students in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation was 10.3%, twice the rate for students in LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived (5.1%).
• Key Stage 4 students who were in LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived were more than twice as likely to go on to higher education, compared to Key Stage 4 students in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation (30.6% and 13.5% respectively).

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Indicator data by Deep-Rooted Deprivation category (StatsWales)

Access to services

• LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived had the longest travel times to services for both public and private transport. Often there was quite a gap between this category and the other deep-rooted deprivation categories.
• The percentage of those with unavailability of broadband at 30Mp/s was over 3 times higher in LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived (7.1%) compared to LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation (2.0%). This was about the same as the Wales average (6.9%).
• Both patterns above may be explained by the rural/urban settlement classification of areas in each category (see Notes for more details).

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Indicator data by Deep-Rooted Deprivation category (StatsWales)

Housing

• The WIMD indicator on poor quality housing measures the likelihood of housing being in disrepair or containing serious hazards (for example, risk of falls or cold housing). Those living in LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 most deprived had a higher likelihood of poor quality housing (20.0%) compared to LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation (13.5%). This pattern will be influenced by typical housing tenure, age and type, which are in turn linked to the rural/urban settlement classification profile of each group of areas (see Notes).
• However, LSOAs never ranked in the top 50 were the least deprived category when it comes to overcrowding. 5.3% of people in those areas lived in overcrowded households compared to 11.0% of people living in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation. The most deprived category for this indicator was LSOAs moving in and out of the top 50, where 12.9% of people lived in overcrowded households.

Community safety

• The police recorded criminal damage rate (per 100 people) was around 2.5 times higher in LSOAs in deep-rooted deprivation (2.5) and in LSOAs moving in and out of the top 50 most deprived (2.6) than in areas never ranked in the top 50 (1.1). The rate for areas ranked once in the top 50 most deprived was around double the rate for those never ranked (2.1).

Below is a full breakdown of the percentage of areas from each deep-rooted deprivation category falling within each Rural/Urban settlement classification category (Web Archive):

Source: Welsh Index of Multiple deprivation (WIMD), Indicator data, Welsh Government

National Statistics status

The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

National Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.

All official statistics should comply with all aspects of the Code of Practice for Statistics. They are awarded National Statistics status following an assessment by the UK Statistics Authority’s regulatory arm. The Authority considers whether the statistics meet the highest standards of Code compliance, including the value they add to public decisions and debate.

It is Welsh Government’s responsibility to maintain compliance with the standards expected of National Statistics. If we become concerned about whether these statistics are still meeting the appropriate standards, we will discuss any concerns with the Authority promptly. National Statistics status can be removed at any point when the highest standards are not maintained, and reinstated when standards are restored.

The continued designation of these statistics as National Statistics was confirmed in July 2020 following a compliance check by the Office for Statistics Regulation. These statistics last underwent a full assessment against the Code of Practice in December 2010.

Since the latest review by the Office for Statistics Regulation, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics.

Well-being of Future Generations Act (WFG)

The Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 is about improving the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales. The Act puts in place seven wellbeing goals for Wales. These are for a more equal, prosperous, resilient, healthier and globally responsible Wales, with cohesive communities and a vibrant culture and thriving Welsh language. Under section (10)(1) of the Act, the Welsh Ministers must (a) publish indicators (“national indicators”) that must be applied for the purpose of measuring progress towards the achievement of the wellbeing goals, and (b) lay a copy of the national indicators before Senedd Cymru. Under section 10(8) of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, where the Welsh Ministers revise the national indicators, they must as soon as reasonably practicable (a) publish the indicators as revised and (b) lay a copy of them before the Senedd. These national indicators were laid before the Senedd in 2021. The indicators laid on 14 December 2021 replace the set laid on 16 March 2016.

Information on the indicators, along with narratives for each of the wellbeing goals and associated technical information is available in the Wellbeing of Wales report.

Further information on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

The statistics included in this release could also provide supporting narrative to the national indicators and be used by public services boards in relation to their local wellbeing assessments and local wellbeing plans.

Statistician: Daniel Boon
Email: stats.inclusion@gov.wales

Media: 0300 025 8099

SFR 185/2022