The government has released the 2025 Indices of Deprivation (IoD), which provides an update to the most recent 2019 statistical release. Indices of deprivation measure relative deprivation in 33,755 small areas or neighbourhoods within England. They measure overall deprivation as well as deprivation of income, employment, education, health, crime, barriers to housing services, and the living environment.
Redevelopments have the opportunity to make a positive difference within local communities and reduce relative deprivation by implementing a wide array of measures, through construction and throughout the lifespan of the development. Providing accessible areas of green space, improving safety and security, employing local workers, and providing more homes are some measures can significantly improve the relative deprivation of an area.
The IoD can help in identifying highly deprived areas as well as the specific needs of those areas. Deprivation is not localised to specific regions of the country. It impacts all of England, with 65% of local authorities containing at least one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country.
As the results are released every 5-6 years, this can aid in understanding how an area has changed over time. However, the 2025 release has shown that there are still more opportunities to target highly deprived areas, as 82% of the most deprived areas in 2019 are still the most deprived areas in 2025.
The IoD are more than just a measurement tool. They present an opportunity to make a positive difference to local communities.
Posted on November 27th, 2025
Author: Leah Bisson