Jaywick Sands in Essex has been named England's most deprived neighbourhood for the fourth consecutive time. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government released the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation data on Thursday, ranking the seaside area as the country's most struggling community in 2010, 2015, 2019, and now 2025.
The designation comes months after Nigel Farage won the Clacton parliamentary seat in July 2024, making the Reform UK leader responsible for representing the area. Jaywick gained international attention in 2018 when it appeared in a US presidential campaign advert showing unpaved roads and dilapidated homes to illustrate negative consequences.
Council demands government action
Tendring District Council acknowledged the data highlights "the scale of the challenge" but said it does not "reflect the progress made since 2019 or the strength of the people who call Jaywick Sands home." Council leader Mark Stephenson described Jaywick Sands as "a truly special place -- full of heart, pride and real community spirit" in a statement on the council website.
Stephenson called for £100 million of national flood funding and a cross-departmental taskforce to address policy barriers. "We cannot do this alone - we need Government to do its part," he said. The council agreed a £126 million, 20-year improvement plan for the area last year.
The index ranks England's 33,755 neighbourhoods using metrics including income, employment, education, health, crime, housing barriers, and living environment. Seven of the 10 most deprived areas are in Blackpool, with one each in Hastings and Rotherham. Middlesbrough has the highest proportion of severely deprived neighbourhoods at local authority level.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
