Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation Published.

The new Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) was published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. This is the first publication since SIMD 2012. It uses data collected from September 2015 from a number of sources including the Department for Work and Pensions, Police Scotland, NHS Scotland, the Scottish Government and the 2011 Census.

SIMD helps national and local government, and the third sector, make informed decisions about where to invest to help address pockets of multiple deprivation.

Key findings in the latest release are:

• Eleven council areas now have a larger share of deprivation compared with the previous SIMD in 2012. Ten councils have a smaller share of deprivation.
• West Dunbartonshire and Midlothian have experienced the largest rises in local share of deprivation.
• Glasgow City has six of the ten most deprived data zones in Scotland. Glasgow City also has the largest share of deprivation with nearly half (48 per cent) of its data zones classified in the 20 per cent most deprived in Scotland Which has improved by 1 per cent since SIMD2012.
• Aberdeen City and Clackmannanshire have experienced the largest decreases in local share of deprivation.
• Other areas with high levels of deprivation that have seen a decrease in their local share are Dundee City and Inverclyde councils.
• Three per cent of rural data zones are classified in the 20 per cent most deprived areas in Scotland.
• Although it is important to identify pockets of multiple deprivation, it is also important to note that SIMD is not in itself a map of places where people in poverty live. Two in every three people living with income deprivation do not live in deprived areas.