Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020: introduction

Introduction

This booklet provides an overview of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020. SIMD is a tool for identifying the places in Scotland where people are experiencing disadvantage across different aspects of their lives. It can be used to help organisations invest in those areas that need it most. SIMD can also be used by communities to highlight the things that matter to them, and identify opportunities to improve the lives of local people.

The booklet explains how we built SIMD, offers advice on what you can and can't do with SIMD, and gives some headline findings. It also provides links for you to explore SIMD further, produce your own maps, and get more help if you need it.

SIMD is relevant for both urban and rural settings in Scotland, but care needs to be taken when using SIMD in rural areas. The booklet includes an example case study showing how SIMD has been used to identify deprivation and help inform a rural local authority's poverty strategy.

When using the SIMD tool, it is important to bear in mind that households will have very different circumstances and differing experiences and perceptions of where they live.

Residents and organisations may recognise that their neighbourhood is disadvantaged in some way, and find SIMD useful in building a case for support. However, focussing on the strengths and assets of our communities is also important if we are to work together to make Scotland a fairer and more inclusive place to live.

The booklet showcases local stories of committed organisations and individuals working to make their communities stronger.

We would like to gratefully acknowledge the support from all the organisations who have contributed to developing the index itself. We could not have done it without them.

SIMD is a standard tool for identifying areas with relatively high levels of deprivation.

• SIMD 2020 was published on 28 January 2020.
• Previous SIMDs were published in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2016.

SIMD...

… shows where Scotland's most deprived areas are, so organisations know where their work can have the biggest impact.

… is a relative measure of deprivation across small areas in Scotland.

… looks at multiple deprivation. 'Deprived' does not just mean 'poor' or 'low income'. It can also mean people have fewer resources and opportunities, for example in health and education. So communities can use SIMD to identify the things that matter to them.