POLICY & PRACTICE: Briefing - How the other half live in wealthyareas

A selection of case studies from the least deprived authorities?

What's that about then? It's about the distinction between deprived areas and deprived people.

Explain. Public policy is slowly starting to realise that even the richest parts of this country have pockets of deprivation. To be poor and excluded and live cheek by jowl with affluence must be galling enough, but things can be made worse if nobody seems to notice that you have needs.

But this Government has launched endless policies and initiatives on social exclusion. Most of which are ABIs - area-based initiatives. Regeneration policy since 1997 has focused on concentrated areas of deprivation rather than taking a themed approach across all areas. So while 82 per cent of the most deprived wards are concentrated in the 88 districts eligible for funding through schemes such as Neighbourhood Renewal and New Deal for Communities, that leaves 18 per cent with no access to dedicated funding. Not to mention smaller deprived areas within more affluent wards.