Over five million people live in the most deprived areas in England, and 38 percent of them are income-deprived. Among the worst areas are Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Manchester, Kingston-upon Hull in the north of England, as well as Hackney and Tower Hamlets in London — all of which have had swingeing cuts.
Recovery in living standards very slow compared to previous recessions http://t.co/GDEMVdbEgf pic.twitter.com/yfZWGdHI8v
— IFS (@TheIFS) March 4, 2015
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), says these are the poorest areas that have been hit the hardest by government cuts. Labour MP Hilary Benn told the Daily Mail: "These figures confirm the shocking way in which the most deprived areas have faced the biggest reductions in spending under [British Prime Minister] David Cameron.
"The Tories said those with the broadest shoulders should bear the greatest burden but they have done the very opposite. Another Tory Government will continue to treat areas with the greatest needs unfairly."
In its latest report on the issue, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee said the cutbacks were uneven and unfair. Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge said: "These cuts have not hit all local authorities equally, with reductions ranging between five percent and 40 percent. Councils with the greatest spending needs — the most deprived authorities — have been receiving the largest reductions."
English councils have seen sharp cuts in last 5 yrs — new IFS election briefing note http://t.co/rdVA2znYuE
— IFS (@TheIFS) March 6, 2015
"Councils with the greatest spending needs — the most deprived authorities — have been receiving the largest reductions. Further cuts could not just undermine the entire viability of most optional services, but might threaten some statutory services in these areas," she said.
Most Deprived Hit Hardest
David Innes, a Research Economist at IFS and one of the authors of the report, said: "On the whole, it is more deprived areas and those that have seen the fastest population growth that have seen the largest cuts to spending per person.
London boroughs, which contain some pockets of very deprived areas, the North East and the North West of England have seen the largest average cuts to spending per person. London boroughs cut spending per person on average by 31.4%, while spending per person was cut by 26.5% in the North East and 25.7% in the North West.
