The Nature of Local Area Social Exclusion in England and the Role of the Labour Market

The creation of the Social Exclusion Unit by the present government in 1997 is just one example of the increased desire by both academics and policy-makers to understand more about the factors that lead to individuals and communities becoming excluded from mainstream society. Of the many aspects of social exclusion which have featured in recent debate, this article focuses on two. The first is to describe the nature and the extent of social exclusion in the areas in which it is concentrated in the United Kingdom. The second is to examine the role that labour-market factors play in creating, reducing, or sustaining geographical concentrations of social exclusion. The article draws upon the results of social surveys conducted in deprived areas and discusses the arguments for tackling local concentrations of social exclusion through area-based initiatives