THE MOST deprived areas of Wigan and Leigh have been revealed as part of the latest census results.

As part of the 2021 census, households in England and Wales were classified in terms of four different "dimensions of deprivation"; based on unemployment, health, education, and type of dwelling.

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Leigh Journal: Deprivation data has come from the ONS 2021 CensusDeprivation data has come from the ONS 2021 Census (Image: Radar)

Taking this into account, analysis from the Office for National Statistics recorded that 53.4% of households in Wigan and Leigh were classed as being deprived.

This is because these households scored poorly on one or more of the dimensions of deprivation.

The data shows that there are higher deprivation levels across Wigan and Leigh compared to the national average, with England and Wales recording a rate of 51.7% of deprived households.

However, the figures did represent a drop from 60.3% at the time of the last census in 2011.

A further breakdown reveals which of the area's 40 neighbourhoods were most affected by deprivation last year.

The five areas with the highest deprivation rates in Wigan and Leigh

  1. Laithwaite and Marsh Green – 71.8% of households here were deprived in at least one dimension at the time of the 2021 census, down from 79.1% in 2011
  2. Wigan East – 68.9%, falling from 76% in 2011
  3. Ince-in-Makerfield – 64.4%, a drop from 73.5% in 2011
  4.  Atherton North – 63.4%, down from 70.5% in 2011
  5. Leigh North – 62.8%, down from 68.6% in 2011

By contrast, the neighbourhood with the lowest level of deprivation was Standish North, at 41.2% of households.

To determine dimensions of deprivation, a household is judged on whether any person who is not a full-time student is either unemployed or long-term sick.

The second characteristic covers households where no person has at least five or more GCSE passes or equivalent qualifications, with no 16 to 18-year-olds at the home who are full-time students.

The third dimension is where any person in the household has poor general health or a long-term health problem.

The fourth is judged on whether the household’s accommodation is either overcrowded or is in a shared dwelling, or has no central heating.

The ONS said deprivation is a "complex topic", adding that more detailed information would come in future releases.