Local council cuts are hitting the poorest, analysis shows
Exclusive: The poorest councils in the country have had their funding cut by more than 18 times that of the richest councils
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tory cuts mean that the poorest local councils face cuts 18 times higher than the country’s richest, new analysis.
In an analysis undertaken by the Labour party and seen by the Independent, figures show that between the years 2010 and 2015, when the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government were in power, funding for the 10 most deprived local councils have fallen on average by £681.04 per household.
Of the 10 wealthiest councils in the UK, four saw an increase in their funding, while nine of the most deprived saw cuts of more than £520 per household.
The government looks at several factors such as crime, health, education, living conditions and unemployment, when monitoring whether an area or council is deprived.
The new figures correlate with research released earlier this year, which shows children are the worst affected when it comes to George Osborne's spending cuts.
Shadow Local Government Minister Steve Reed MP has called for the Tories to do more to bridge the gap between the richest and poorest communities.
“The Tories need to stop waging war on decent people and their communities across the country. They promised a One Nation government but the gap between the poorest and the richest keeps growing."
The Government talks about empowering communities but you cannot empower them by impoverishing them
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who recently announced cuts to tax credits, has identified £12bn of welfare cuts in a bid to “a welfare system that is fair not just to those who need it but to those who pay for it."
These are the top 10 most deprived councils in the UK currently:
- Blackpool
- Knowsley
- Kingston upon Hull, City of
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Middlesbrough
- Birmingham
- Nottingham
- Burnley
- Tower Hamlets
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments