Poverty and deprivation statistics

How deprived is Oxford?

The Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 ranks Oxford 155^th out of 354, placing it in the top half most deprived local authority areas in England.  Of 85 areas in Oxford, 18 are among the 30% most deprived areas in England - this is illustrated on the map below:

These areas suffer multiple levels of deprivation - low skills, low incomes and high levels of crime.

How many people are unemployed?

Oxford is estimated to have an unemployment rate of 6.7%, which is higher than the 5.2% national average (though this is not a statistically significant difference).  By contrast, the percentage of working age people claiming unemployment benefit (Jobseeker's Allowance) is 1.5%, which is lower than the 2.5% national average.

There are also geographic and demographic pockets of high unemployment.

How many people are living on low incomes?

Oxford has over 9,000 working age residents claiming benefits - the highest percentage in the county.  There is a high level of child poverty - 26% of Oxford's under-16 year-olds are living in low-income households.

What other aspects of deprivation are a problem in Oxford?

Oxford has a significant problem with homelessness - 568 households were living in temporary accommodation we provide in the city as of May 2007.  There is also a high level of rough sleeping.

Inequalities in life expectancy can be seen within Oxford. Men and women from the least deprived areas can expect to live five years longer than those in the most deprived areas.

There are geographic pockets with very high rates of people without qualifications, for example 46% of people in Blackbird Leys ward - see below: 

Where can I find more information?

Oxfordshire Data Observatory has published a briefing paper on deprivation in Oxford:

You can view our Super Output Area profile reports.  These summarise the Indices of Deprivation for each of the 85 Super Output Areas in Oxford.

We have carried out some small area surveys to investigate deprivation in parts of Oxford.

For more on deprivation statistics, visit the Oxfordshire Data Observatory website under Data - Themes - Poverty and Deprivation.

Data sources

• Indices of Deprivation 2007
• Nomis labour market statistics
• 2001 Census
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Department for Communities and Local Government
• Health Profiles, Association of Public Health Observatories

Page last reviewed 17 Nov 2008