Bradford one of most deprived cities in region

The Regional Trends report published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed that 41 per cent of areas across the district are among the most deprived in the country.

The only place with more pockets of deprivation in Yorkshire and the Humber is Hull.

By contrast 11 per cent of the Bradford district is in the least-deprived bracket.

Some of the places struggling most are in inner city areas including Bowling and Little Horton and areas of Shipley and Keighley.

Bowling and Barkerend ward Councillor Mohammed Jamil (Con) said: “I am not surprised by this report – the area is poor and deprived.

“People here feel neglected. They need financial, educational and environmental support and more investment needs to be put in the area by the Government.

“Nearly every aspect needs investment. If they don’t do something now it will just get worse.”

Deprivation is measured in the report by factors including low income, unemployment, lack of education, poor health and crime.

ONS regional statistician Ian Kay said: “There isn’t one factor which drags Bradford down overall, it has fairly high levels of deprivation for most of these factors.

“Bradford does seem quite polarised.

“Barnsley and Wakefield, for example, have fewer areas in the most deprived bracket than Bradford, but also fewer areas in the least deprived bracket, and more in the middle.

“Most of the actual city of Bradford has high levels of deprivation, and so does Keighley. Other areas to the north of the city centre, but still within the local authority, such as Baildon, Bingley and Ilkley, have less deprivation.”

Life expectancy in Yorkshire and the Humber was revealed as the third lowest in the country, at 81 for women and 77 for men.

Mr Kay added: “These statistics aren’t enough to prove that deprivation causes low life expectancy, they may be two symptoms of other causes.

“However the regions with high deprivation do tend to be those with low life expectancy.”