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Unmet social and economic need is increasingly showing up in voting behaviour. Strengthening social infrastructure alongside tackling deprivation should be a priority for all parties seeking to respond. 6/6

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Although it is too early to assess its impact, the Government's Pride in Place programme targets this double disadvantage, but the electoral shift was similar in funded areas and unfunded ones alike. The scale of unmet need goes beyond current investment. 5/6

2021-24 to 2026 vote shares

In wards facing both high deprivation and weak social infrastructure, combined Green + Reform vote share rose from 12% to 54% between 2021–24 and 2026. Labour + Conservative collapsed from 68% to 33%. 4/6 public.flourish.studio/story/3682421/

public.flourish.studio

A Flourish story by Joseph

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What is the Community Needs Index and how do I access it? - Local Insight

Community need isn't just about money. It measures social infrastructure - the networks, institutions and spaces that bring people together and foster shared civic, social and cultural identity. 3/6 More info here: localinsight.org/blog/what-is...

localinsight.org

The Community Needs Index (CNI) looks at the experiences of the people in an area, alongside that area’s amenities and assets.

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In the most deprived wards, the gap between challenger parties (Green + Reform) and mainstream parties (Lab + Con) was 14 percentage points. In wards with the highest community need, that gap rose to 22 points. 2/6

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Oliver Skånberg-Tippen @oskanberg.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

People with fewer community spaces, groups & activities are turning away from the two-party system in greater numbers. New @jrf-uk.bsky.social analysis of the recent elections shows that community need may be an even stronger predictor of anti-establishment voting than deprivation alone. 1/6

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

Frustrated with the election pundits talking as if votes only 'swing' from one party to another. I did some analysis of the results, and my modelling (based on votes only, not polls) suggests that the largest movement since 2024 local elections (by a long way) is from 'Did Not Vote' -> Reform

A Sankey diagram, titled "Voter flows, UK local elections 2024 to 2026"

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Closing gaps like these will make for better lives and improved life chances - strong public services can save lives. Newly elected councillors across England should take note.

And there is a clear and very unwelcome link between the deprivation of an area and the rate of alcohol specific deaths.

Babies born in the most deprived tenth of areas in England are more than twice as likely to die in infancy as those born in the least deprived.

Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Your postcode should never determine whether your child reaches their first birthday, or whether alcohol takes you too soon. Today, two sets of data from the landed that tell a grim story (but not an inevitable one).

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

The story in yesterday’s poverty data? A small rise in poverty in Labour’s first year, up by 500k to 13.4 million in 2024/25. ⬆️working-age adults in poverty went up by 300k ⬆️number of pensioner in poverty went up by 200k ↔️child poverty stayed flat. More action needed! 1/7

An infographic saying that there were around 13.4 million people were in poverty in 2024/25, a rise of 500,000 in overall poverty between 2023/24 and 2024/25. This was made up of:
4.0 million children (no change)
7.7 million working-age adults [up 300k]
1.7 million pensioners [up 200k]

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

Katie Schmuecker @katieschmuecker.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

Pride in Place’s commitment to community-led investment in neighbourhood is so needed. But new JRF analysis maps the areas overlooked for funding in England: disproportionately in the north and some ranked as facing among the greatest challenges. They should be priority for expanding the programme.

Map of doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods in England (economically deprived with weaker social infrastructure of community groups, spaces and activities). Red dots mark neighbourhoods in the most deprived 10% that have not received phase 1 or 2 Pride in Place funding. They are disproportionately in the north of England.

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Greater economic security for families is a key aim of the Government, and my new @jrf-uk.bsky.social paper sets out the role of social infrastructure - community spaces, active community groups and everyday connections - in helping deliver this goal. www.jrf.org.uk/neighbourhoo...

jrf.org.uk

Why social infrastructure matters for economic security

Economic security isn’t just about money, local connections and community support matter too. Pride in Place is a key intervention, but new analysis identifies two key challenges.

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Govt’s Pride in Place targets areas with economic deprivation and weaker social infrastructure. Yet, our analysis reveals 2 challenges. We find 430 doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods in England (home to approx 3.5 million people) are unfunded, incl many ranked as facing the greatest challenges 1/3

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Note: Avoidable mortality is defined as deaths that are either preventable or treatable for those aged under 75 years. Source: Office for National Statistics, Socioeconomic inequalities in avoidable mortality in England and Wales, 2024.

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A Flourish data visualization by Joseph

It’s not right that where someone lives should determine how long or how well they live. Interactive version: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

public.flourish.studio

Avoidable mortality 2024

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In England, avoidable mortality rates are almost four times higher for men and more than three times higher for women in the most deprived areas. In Wales, rates are more than three times higher for men and nearly four times higher for women.

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Today’s statistics offer yet another stark reminder of the link between poverty and both the quality and length of people’s lives.

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Men and women living in the most deprived areas of England and Wales are far more likely to die from causes that are preventable or treatable than those in the least deprived communities.

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A Flourish data visualization by Joseph

It’s not right that where someone lives should determine how long or how well they live. Interactive version: public.flourish.studio/visualisatio...

public.flourish.studio

Avoidable mortality 2024

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Today’s statistics offer yet another stark reminder of the link between poverty and both the quality and length of people’s lives.

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

A new way to explore UK Poverty data ⬇️ Poverty is deepening. Developing solutions to tackle this problem starts with clear, accessible evidence. To make our data more accessible we’ve published all charts, maps and tables from our UK Poverty 2026 in a new, interactive dashboard.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

⛓️ ‘Where jobs went, so did the things that held communities together' Poverty affects the whole of the UK, but it’s not distributed evenly. Our analyst @scothunter.bsky.social sets out where poverty is most acute, and the action needed for all communities to thrive, no matter where they are.

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Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.

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The persistence of relative deprivation shows that something needs to give. Where you are born or live should never determine your chances in life.

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Weak labour markets and low employment rates are likely contributing to poverty in these areas. While some areas may have lower housing costs, other local factors (such as access to services, rural vs. urban settings, housing quality, and local economic conditions) can intensify these challenges.

Monmouthshire was the only local authority to have none if it’s areas in the most deprived decile; Powys and Ceredigion each had one.

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This amounts to approx. 13400 Blaenau Gwent residents and approx. 28700 Newport residents living in the most deprived local areas where work is insecure and pay does not go far enough, where economic and educational opportunities are limited, and where people are more likely to live in poor health.

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Blaenau Gwent continues to have the highest rates of deprivation, with 9 of its 46 areas (20%) falling into the most deprived decile, followed by Newport, where 18 of 100 local areas (18%) fall into the same category.

Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

The new Welsh IMD shows persistent disadvantage across Wales. While there has been some minor adjustments to the methodology, the overall picture is similar to that of the 2019 release.

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Reposted by Scot Hunter

> Home purchased for £4k in 1970, now worth £4m > That's £3.945m more than if it had just increased with inflation > Her house has effectively gained £72k in value every year in today's prices > Her house earned around double what the average UK earner did each year

I bought my home for £4000 in 1970, I worry about the mansion tax

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Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Every child, no matter their background, deserves to have a good start in life. Ethnic minority children were disproportionately impacted by the two child limit which widens ethnic disparities in child poverty rates. Scrapping this cruel policy to lift 450000 children out of poverty is a huge win!

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Peter Matejic @statspeter.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

A child poverty strategy with the 2-child limit in place would *not* be a credible child poverty strategy. *All* of the growth in child poverty since the 2011/12 low point is for children in scope of this policy.

Between 2011/12 and 2023/24, child poverty rose by 900,000 in total. This is entirely due to increases in poverty in families with three or more children, with a small fall in poverty for smaller families over the period.

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Iain Porter @iainkporter.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

No one in the UK should experience destitution - wherever they were born – and destitution should never be an acceptable outcome of policy. But some policies announced in the Home Secretary’s asylum statement risk increasing destitution. 🧵1/7 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Image showing front cover of Government's statement on asylum and returns policy (titled 'Restoring Order and Control').

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Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

🚨New deprivation data reveals continual deep regional divides across many areas in England. High levels of deprivation are concentrated in many ex-industrial northern and midlands towns and coastal areas, where manufacturing and tourism industries have been lost.

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Yasmin Ibison @yasminibison.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Spoke to the BBC about the drivers of deprivation and the impact on families. There's a clear link between living in hardship & feeling socially/politically disconnected. To make meaningful progress, communities must be involved in decisions affecting their lives. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

What is life really like in one of England's most deprived towns?

Hastings in East Sussex is one of the most deprived local authorities in England, data shows.

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Joseph Elliott @jelliott94.bsky.social · 18/08/2025

ONS have published new private rented affordability analysis for 2024. Ratios of rents to incomes dipped in 2022/23 as incomes climbed faster than rents. Rents have been catching up so affordability has worsened again and seems likely it will continue to worsen through 2025...

Figure 1: Private rents have been consistently above 30% in England, below 30% in Northern Ireland, and usually below 30% in Wales

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Dan Fisher @dx-fisher.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

👉OUT NOW!👈 "A Handbook of Integration with Refugees: Global Learnings from Scotland" Edited with @alisonphipps.bsky.social and @esaldegheri.bsky.social The book is FREE to download from www.multilingual-matters.com

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Geographical inequalities in premature mortality in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics

This isn’t about individual choices, it’s about the environments people live in, the opportunities they have, and the support systems around them. source: www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...

ons.gov.uk

All-cause and cause-specific premature mortality rates for adults aged under 75 years in upper tier local authorities.

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This isn't just a statistic, it's people's family members dying before they should, and all the pain that comes with that. It's also a reflection of deep-seated structural issues.

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In the most deprived parts of England, there were an expected 569 early deaths for every 100,00 people. The (unweighted) average in England was 446.

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