EUKN - United Kingdom - Economic segregation in England

Economic segregation in England - UK

Introduction

This research analyses the processes that lead to spatial patterns of economic segregation, identifies areas at risk of spatial segregation, and draws policy recommendations to tackle the problem.

Description

The research defines the concepts of deprivation, segregation, sustainability and mixed communities and looks at how the spatial pattern of segregation is measured and how it has changed over time. The research attempts to understand the processes that lead to segregation, provides case study evidence showing how mixed communities might be achieved, and identifies the key policies and instruments that are most likely to reduce segregation and improve integration.

Background information

In January 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (now Department for Communities and Local Government) unveiled its Five-Year Plans for housing and neighbourhood revitalisation, including the development of sustainable mixes of tenures and incomes in local communities, aimed at counteracting deep-seated trends in segregation. By ‘segregation’ the study means the tendency for households of similar economic status to be concentrated in parts of any local authority district or neighbourhood.

The research was commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Methodology

The research reviews literature on mixed communities, mixed tenure development, and tenure diversification. It describes patterns of segregation in using three indicators – unemployment, tenure and skills/attainment - with data from recent Censuses. Indices of dissimilarity for English local authority districts are presented. The research also analyses evidence on the dynamics of local housing markets and determinants of migration to observe patterns of deprivation and segregation. It presents the results of a simulation model for English local authorities and wards of the North West Government Office Region, to explore the relationship between deprivation and segregation. It includes evidence from three case studies: Werrington, Peterborough; Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle; Hulme, Manchester.

Conclusions

The research suggests the following preconditions for the development of mixed communities:

neighbourhoods with high levels of deprivation need to reach the take-off point;
one-size-fits-all policies do not work;
incentives should be targeted on those most likely to move into the area (young, highly skilled people without children);
the local authority needs to decide whether to retain ‘newcomers’ as they grow older or accept their loss and target the next cohort;
even where there is observed housing need, building more social housing in the most deprived areas will concentrate deprivation and segregation further.

Contact info

Department of Economics, University of Reading
Geoffrey Meen (Professor of Applied Economics), tel. +44 118 378 6029

Publication date

01/12/2005

Project finished

Researcher

Geoffrey Meen et al.

Links

Joseph Rowntree Foundation University of Reading

Economic segregation in England: causes, consequences and policy (PDF, Eng, 910 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Keywords

Social mix