Bristol’s Deprivation Index Exposes Stark Economic Inequality

The latest release of the English Indices of Deprivation 2025 has highlighted significant socio-economic disparities in Bristol, revealing a city divided by wealth and poverty. For the first time in six years, the Government has published detailed street-by-street rankings, allowing for a closer examination of deprivation levels across the city and England as a whole. The findings indicate that little progress has been made in bridging the gaps identified in 2019.

Bristol boasts both affluent and impoverished neighbourhoods, with the most prosperous area located in Henleaze. This neighbourhood ranks in the top 0.3 percent of over 33,000 areas surveyed across England. In stark contrast, Southmead, situated less than a mile away, is classified among the lowest three percent of the most deprived regions in the country.

The deprivation index assesses seven key areas of life, including income, employment, health, education, and the living environment. Each street and home has been assigned to one of 33,755 neighbourhoods, each comprising approximately 1,500 residents. This granular approach reveals the extent of inequality within the city, with Bristol divided into 268 neighbourhoods, some spanning just a few streets.

Concentration of Poverty in Specific Areas

The data indicates that six of the eight most deprived areas in Bristol are located in Hartcliffe, while the remaining two are situated in nearby Withywood and Inns Court. The most deprived area, termed ‘Bristol 053E,’ encompasses a section of Hartcliffe from Fulford Road to the tower blocks on Bishport Avenue. This neighbourhood is ranked as the 211th most deprived in England, placing it in the bottom 0.6 percent of all neighbourhoods surveyed.

Adjacent areas, including the vicinity around Morrisons in Hartcliffe and the Maynard Road area in northern Hartcliffe, also fall within the one percent most deprived regions in England. Additional neighbourhoods in Withywood, Knowle West, Barton Hill, and Easton, along with smaller areas in Redcliffe, Southmead, and Henbury, rank within the bottom five percent of deprivation.

Interestingly, the most deprived neighbourhood in the Bristol area is not actually within the city limits. Two neighbourhoods that comprise the Bournville Estate in Weston-super-Mare are also among the lowest one percent of deprived areas in England, with one of these neighbourhoods ranking as the 86th most deprived.

Affluence Lies Nearby

Conversely, numerous areas in Bristol rank among the top one or two percent of least deprived neighbourhoods across the country. The least deprived area, located around West Broadway in Henleaze, has been identified as having the lowest scores in income, crime, employment, education, environment, housing, and health compared to other parts of Bristol. Only 103 other small areas in England have better socio-economic conditions.

This Henleaze neighbourhood is situated less than three-quarters of a mile from Southmead, which comprises one of the most deprived areas in the country. Similar affluent areas can also be found in Sneyd Park and Westbury-on-Trym, further illustrating the stark contrast within Bristol.

The release of the deprivation index serves as a critical reminder of the ongoing economic challenges faced by many residents in Bristol, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions to address these disparities. As the city grapples with these inequalities, the findings call for renewed efforts to bridge the gap between its most and least affluent neighbourhoods.