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Which areas have the worst money problems in the UK? Which areas have the worst money problems in the UK?
(about 1 month later)
Residents of the parliamentary constituency of Hodge Hill are feeling more financial pressure than anywhere else in the UK, according to the results of a new mapping project by Which?Residents of the parliamentary constituency of Hodge Hill are feeling more financial pressure than anywhere else in the UK, according to the results of a new mapping project by Which?
The consumer organisation polled 6,300 people between December 2013 and February 2014 and extrapolated the results to get estimates about how badly people around the country are feeling the squeeze.The consumer organisation polled 6,300 people between December 2013 and February 2014 and extrapolated the results to get estimates about how badly people around the country are feeling the squeeze.
The results have been published in the form of the Which? Financial Distress Map, which drills down the data as far as lower layer super output areas (LSOAs), the smallest geographical aggregation other than specific postcodes.The results have been published in the form of the Which? Financial Distress Map, which drills down the data as far as lower layer super output areas (LSOAs), the smallest geographical aggregation other than specific postcodes.
Questions were asked on what the worst financial experience was for respondents over the course of the past month. This allowed the researchers to calculate an index score out of 100 where one indicates hardly any distress and 100 means a lot.Questions were asked on what the worst financial experience was for respondents over the course of the past month. This allowed the researchers to calculate an index score out of 100 where one indicates hardly any distress and 100 means a lot.
Where is being squeezed the most?Where is being squeezed the most?
Parliamentary constituencies in the top 10 other than Hodge Hill include Harriet Harman's seat Camberwell and Peckham, as well as Belfast West in Northern Ireland. A selection of areas in the Midlands feature, including another Birmingham constituency (Ladywood), Nottingham North and West Bromwich.Parliamentary constituencies in the top 10 other than Hodge Hill include Harriet Harman's seat Camberwell and Peckham, as well as Belfast West in Northern Ireland. A selection of areas in the Midlands feature, including another Birmingham constituency (Ladywood), Nottingham North and West Bromwich.
On the other side of the coin, the area which scored lowest on the index was the seaside Conservative constituency of Bournemouth East; this makes it the most comfortable place in the country when it comes to household spending. Its neighbour Bournemouth West comes in seventh place.On the other side of the coin, the area which scored lowest on the index was the seaside Conservative constituency of Bournemouth East; this makes it the most comfortable place in the country when it comes to household spending. Its neighbour Bournemouth West comes in seventh place.
Unsurprisingly (Which? points out that the map matches up to government deprivation data quite closely), the majority of areas in the top 10 least financially distressed 10 are in the south.Unsurprisingly (Which? points out that the map matches up to government deprivation data quite closely), the majority of areas in the top 10 least financially distressed 10 are in the south.
The devil is in the detail - why you should look at the LSOAsThe devil is in the detail - why you should look at the LSOAs
The trickiness of geographical aggregation is that while a broad picture may be given using areas such as parliamentary constituencies, doing so can cover over some of the finer detail as Which's head of economic analysis Matt Oakley writes today:The trickiness of geographical aggregation is that while a broad picture may be given using areas such as parliamentary constituencies, doing so can cover over some of the finer detail as Which's head of economic analysis Matt Oakley writes today:
By digging into the detailed neighbourhood level data, the divergent experiences of local areas within regions and parliamentary constituencies can be teased out. What we find most interesting are the pockets of distress in areas of affluence and, conversely, pockets of low distress amongst areas with relatively high deprivation. These results show the need to look beyond headline figures.By digging into the detailed neighbourhood level data, the divergent experiences of local areas within regions and parliamentary constituencies can be teased out. What we find most interesting are the pockets of distress in areas of affluence and, conversely, pockets of low distress amongst areas with relatively high deprivation. These results show the need to look beyond headline figures.
One of the places where this contrast is most extreme is Belfast West, judged by Which? to be the sixth most financially distressed constituency in the country. Sitting alongside each other in the Northern Irish constituency are the LSOAs Poleglass_1 and Poleglass_2.One of the places where this contrast is most extreme is Belfast West, judged by Which? to be the sixth most financially distressed constituency in the country. Sitting alongside each other in the Northern Irish constituency are the LSOAs Poleglass_1 and Poleglass_2.
They may share a name but not much else. Poleglass_1 had a index score of 100, indicating it is in the top percentile of distressed areas in the UK, while Poleglass_2 had a score of just two which means it is in the most comfortable 2%.They may share a name but not much else. Poleglass_1 had a index score of 100, indicating it is in the top percentile of distressed areas in the UK, while Poleglass_2 had a score of just two which means it is in the most comfortable 2%.
The street between the two, Pembroke Road, marks what seems to be one of the most extreme contrasts of financial health anywhere in the country.The street between the two, Pembroke Road, marks what seems to be one of the most extreme contrasts of financial health anywhere in the country.
Similarly, in some of the constituencies where residents are seemingly in good financial health on the whole, such as Bournemouth East, there are some small areas where the index scores stretch into the high 90s.Similarly, in some of the constituencies where residents are seemingly in good financial health on the whole, such as Bournemouth East, there are some small areas where the index scores stretch into the high 90s.
These financial divides exist all the way across the country - everywhere from Bethnal Green to Leicester. Put your postcode into the map to see what the contrasts are in yours neighbourhood.These financial divides exist all the way across the country - everywhere from Bethnal Green to Leicester. Put your postcode into the map to see what the contrasts are in yours neighbourhood.
How does it work? The SqueezometerHow does it work? The Squeezometer
The index score was produced by Which? asking its 6,300 respondents what the biggest financial difficulty consumers they had faced over the course of the last month. The index score was produced by Which? asking its 6,300 respondents what the biggest financial difficulty consumers they had faced over the course of the last month.
The results divided the results into five "Squeezometer" levels of financial pressure, which were then put together to give an overall index score. More weighting was given to instances where, for example, consumers had missed a loan repayment or not been able to pay back borrowing costs.The results divided the results into five "Squeezometer" levels of financial pressure, which were then put together to give an overall index score. More weighting was given to instances where, for example, consumers had missed a loan repayment or not been able to pay back borrowing costs.
As with all good polling it included demographic data so results were broken down by that. Looking at the composition of each area in the UK allowed the researchers to apply the relevant score for each area's demographic make-up.As with all good polling it included demographic data so results were broken down by that. Looking at the composition of each area in the UK allowed the researchers to apply the relevant score for each area's demographic make-up.
As mentioned earlier, the ONS also maps deprivation to a similarly detailed level and researchers says that the scores from that index correlates quite closely with the deprivation scores.As mentioned earlier, the ONS also maps deprivation to a similarly detailed level and researchers says that the scores from that index correlates quite closely with the deprivation scores.
For more information on the map's methodology take a look at the blog by Matt Oakley, the organisation's head of economic analysis.For more information on the map's methodology take a look at the blog by Matt Oakley, the organisation's head of economic analysis.