Over the last few years a Vitality Index has been produced on an annual basis. It is a key part of the information service, providing an overall picture of the relative levels of neighbourhood vitality and deprivation across the City. The Index is a snapshot in time and is created using a similar method to that developed by Oxford University in creating the national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), but using locally defined indicators.
The Index is built from a selection of key indicators that measure socio-economic and quality of life issues. Collected to a neighbourhood level, the indicators are grouped into seven key domains including crime, education, environment, health, housing, income and unemployment.
The information is used to inform and focus regeneration programmes and strategies including the Working Neighbourhood Fund (WNF) and Bridging NewcastleGateshead Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder.
The Vitality Index 2008
The latest available Vitality Index was produced in 2008.
The Vitality Index provides an understanding of the concentrations of deprivation and affluence across the City. The dark red shaded neighbourhoods are the 20% most deprived and dark green, the 20% most prosperous.
The diagram below illustrates the structure of the Vitality Index (2008) and lists the indicators included within each domain. The diagram also illustrates what percentage each individual domain contributes to the overall Vitality Index.
Vitality Index Structure (pdf, 30Kb)
The Vitality Index is continuously reviewed, where additional / replacement indicators, based on new policy areas, are considered to ensure the Index continues to be relevant to key issues affecting Newcastle. For example, benefits data from the Department for Work and Pensions Information Centre (Analytical Services Division) and house price data from HM Land Registry have recently been added to the system. Extra indicators have also been included in the existing crime, education and health domains. Also, most recently (in 2008) we have added an Environmental domain to the Vitality Index.
Summary of how the Vitality Index was produced.