Constructing an urban deprivation index: a way of meeting the need for flexibility

Key issues in constructing an urban deprivation index are discussed, with special reference to the need for flexibility. Governments use such an index for many purposes and for policies targeted at different spatial scales. The technical decisions and the criteria for the selection of indicators are discussed. A single index is rejected in favour of a matrix of results which captures the complex geography of deprivation. The matrix of districts includes measures of the degree of deprivation, its spatial extent, its intensity, and the spatial distribution of deprivation at the enumeration district scale. The profiles of various districts are discussed to illustrate the use of the matrix.