The UK Government has released new street-by-street rankings highlighting socio-economic deprivation in Bristol, revealing significant and persistent inequalities across the city. This marks the first update in six years, displaying little improvement in the disparities identified in the previous report from 2019.
The latest data from the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 indicates that Bristol contains both some of the wealthiest and most deprived neighbourhoods in England. The most affluent area, located in Henleaze, ranks in the top 0.3 percent among over 33,000 regions, while less than a mile away, an area in Southmead is classified among the bottom three percent of deprived areas.
The Government’s analysis evaluated seven key aspects of life: income and employment, health and disability, education, skills and training, barriers to housing, crime, and the living environment. Each street and home in Bristol was categorized into one of 33,755 neighbourhoods, allowing for a detailed understanding of local conditions. Bristol itself was subdivided into 268 neighbourhoods, underscoring the stark contrasts in living conditions.
Areas such as Hartcliffe account for six of the eight most deprived neighbourhoods within the city. The locality known as ‘Bristol 053E’ emerges as the most disadvantaged, ranking as the 211th most deprived neighbourhood in England, placing it in the bottom 0.6 percent nationally. Other severely impacted regions include areas around Morrisons in Hartcliffe and Maynard Road, both of which fall within the top one percent of deprivation in England.
Additionally, while Hartcliffe remains a focal point of deprivation, areas such as Withywood, Knowle West, Barton Hill, and Easton also rank in the bottom five percent nationally. Surprisingly, the most deprived neighbourhood in the broader region is not in Bristol but in Weston-super-Mare, where two neighbourhoods in the Bournville Estate are among the lowest one percent in the country.
In contrast, many parts of Bristol show a stark improvement in socio-economic conditions. The least deprived neighbourhood, also in Henleaze, scores favorably across all assessed categories, including income, crime, and education. Only 103 other neighbourhoods in England are better off, highlighting the significant divide within the city itself.
This new data not only reflects the ongoing struggles faced by residents in the most deprived areas but also highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities. As Bristol continues to navigate its socio-economic landscape, the insights gained from the latest deprivation index will be crucial in shaping policies aimed at fostering equitable growth and improving living conditions for all residents.
