An area is considered socially deprived if residents have exceptional difficulty accessing public services or other societal benefits. Societal benefits would include employment, education, reasonable income levels, quality housing, good health, and low crime rates.
Social deprivation is measured using the English indices of multiple deprivation (IMD). Please find a link to more information on the IMD here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2015.