Index of Multiple Deprivation Deciles

Three new geographies allow APS and claimant count data, including proportions, to be obtained for Welsh, Scottish and English Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) Deciles. They appear under the classification based heading on the geography selection page in wizard / advanced queries:

• English Index of Multiple Deprivation 2010 - Deciles
• Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2009 - Deciles
• Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2008 - Deciles

Background

The Indices of Deprivation measure relative deprivation for small areas. Deprivation is a wider concept than poverty, and so the indices are constructed from a number of different types, or domains, of deprivation.

These domains are combined into a single index, the Index of Multiple Deprivation, which ranks the areas in order of deprivation. A rank of 1 identifies the most deprived area.

The Decile geographic areas are created by treating the most-deprived 10% of these areas as a single non-contiguous area, named Decile 1. The next most-deprived 10% are then grouped into a single area, named Decile 2, and so on.

Each of the four Nations of the UK produces its own Index. These Indexes are not directly comparable because they use different domains and indicators, reflecting the priorities in the individual countries, and are published on different timescales covering different time periods.

This means that the criteria for ranking differs for each nation, and therefore comparison of results aggregated by decile for different countries is not recommended.

Further guidance and information on the methodology used for calculating the English IMD 2010 can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government website.

Further guidance and information on the methodology used for calculating the Welsh IMD 2008 can be found on the Welsh Government website.

Further guidance and information on the methodology used for calculating the Scottish IMD 2009 can be found on the Scottish Government website.