Deprivation in Sandwell
The Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2010 shows Sandwell’s average deprivation score as ranked 12th most deprived local authority in England, out of a total of 326. Previous IMD results for this measure show that Sandwell's position has deteriorated relative to other districts in England. Sandwell was 16th most deprived local authority in 2004 and 14th in 2007.
Within the West Midlands urban conurbation there is a central corridor of severe deprivation that runs from Birmingham, through Sandwell, into Wolverhampton, parts of Walsall, and Dudley, the less deprived areas are around the extremities of the urban conurbation and within the adjoining district of Solihull. IMD rankings from 2004 and 2007 for the average deprivation score for local authorities show Birmingham, Walsall and Wolverhampton as becoming relatively more deprived. Sandwell's location at the centre of this deprived urban area means that the borough does not benefit from having a semi-rural fringe - indeed, Sandwell is the only metropolitan borough outside London that does not adjoin a Shire district. The likely impact of a largely deprived hinterland should not be underestimated as a significant limiting factor on the potential to address some of Sandwell’s deprivation characteristics.
In 2005, Research Sandwell examined the impact that this may be having on Sandwell's school population (Sandwell School Analysis), by looking at the in- and out-flow of Sandwell pupils. The deprivation characteristics (based on IMD 2004 LSOA rankings) of pupils travelling from Sandwell to schools outside the borough versus the deprivation profile of pupils living outside Sandwell but attending Sandwell schools were such that the likely net impact was that pupils attending Sandwell schools had a slightly more deprived profile than all Sandwell residents of school age. This research has not been repeated to assess whether changing admissions policies and the catchment effects of Academy schools have impacted on this pattern of migration in a positive way.
England is made up of 32,482 Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs), 187 of which are in Sandwell. The percentage of Sandwell's LSOAs in the most deprived 10% nationally has continued to grow since 2004, with results from the IMD 2010 showing that over 30% of Sandwell’s LSOAs fall into this bracket. A further 28% fall into the most deprived 10-20%, clearly displaying the high levels of deprivation prevalent in large parts of Sandwell. About 90% of Sandwell LSOAs are in the most deprived half of England’s LSOAs.