Our News
What are the Indices of Multiple Deprivation?
The English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (IoD25) assess relative deprivation across England using seven weighted domains covering economic, social and environmental factors. By analysing outcomes at LSOA level, the indices reveal patterns that are often hidden at higher geographic scales.
The combined Index of Multiple Deprivation 2025 (IMD25) remains the single most authoritative measure of deprivation in England and is widely used by local authorities, charities and funders to understand need and allocate resources.
Merseyside: A concentration of urban deprivation
Merseyside continues to rank as one of the most deprived counties in England, with deprivation deeply concentrated in several local authorities.
Liverpool ranks 12th nationally for overall deprivation, with over a third of its neighbourhoods in the most deprived 10% nationally. Knowsley follows closely at 17th, and has the highest proportion of highly deprived neighbourhoods in the county, with 40% of its LSOAs falling within the most deprived decile.
Halton, ranked 55th nationally, also experiences significant levels of deprivation, with almost a third of its neighbourhoods falling within the most deprived 10% in England. In the borough, deprivation is strongly associated with poorer health outcomes, reflected in its ranking as the 21st most deprived local authority for health and disability.
St Helens ranks within the top quarter of the most deprived local authorities nationally, with a substantial proportion of its neighbourhoods also among the most deprived 10% in England. In St Helens, deprivation is closely linked to employment challenges, shaped by the long-term impacts of industrial decline, and the borough ranks 30th for employment deprivation, compared with 68th overall.
Wirral (106th) and Sefton (110th) sit closer to the national average, but both contain sizeable pockets of deprivation. In Wirral, nearly one in four neighbourhoods are among the most deprived 10% nationally, highlighting sharp inequalities within an otherwise mixed district. Sefton shows a similar pattern, with deprivation concentrated in specific urban communities.
Across Merseyside, deprivation is both widespread and persistent, particularly in urban centres and former industrial areas. While progress has been made over time, the IoD25 data underlines the continuing need for place based approaches that respond to entrenched inequalities and the specific challenges faced by local communities.
Together, the Merseyside indices point to the importance of sustained, targeted investment, particularly in income, employment, health and education, to improve long term outcomes and reduce the gap between the most and least deprived neighbourhoods.