Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation

Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
Name	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
Country	Scotland
Agency	Scottish Government
First release	2004
Latest release	2020

Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation is a composite statistical tool used to identify areas of relative deprivation across Scotland by combining multiple indicators into a single measure. It supports policy planning, resource allocation, and research by public bodies, non-governmental organisations, and academic institutions such as the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow. The instrument is administered by the Scottish Government's analytical services and is referenced in documentation from bodies like NHS Scotland and Historic Environment Scotland.

Overview

The index ranks small geographical units to inform decisions by organisations including Local Authorities such as Glasgow City Council, Edinburgh City Council, and Aberdeen City Council, as well as agencies like Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Enterprise. It integrates administrative data from sources such as the National Records of Scotland, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, and the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey to produce deprivation scores used by planners in sectors involving NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, and the Scottish Funding Council.

History and development

Development began in the early 2000s with collaborations among analysts from the Scottish Government, academics at the University of Stirling and the University of Strathclyde, and statisticians from the Office for National Statistics. Initial releases built on models like the Indexes of Multiple Deprivation used in England and adaptations from studies by groups such as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and think tanks including the Resolution Foundation. Subsequent iterations incorporated feedback from groups including COSLA and community organisations such as Shelter Scotland and SCVO (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations).

Methodology

The methodology combines quantitative indicators into seven domains using techniques influenced by methods employed by the Office for National Statistics and academic literature from the London School of Economics and the University of Oxford. Data processing uses administrative records from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, tax information from HM Revenue and Customs, and records from the Department for Work and Pensions where applicable. The scoring employs statistical weighting, rank transformation, and small-area estimation approaches used in studies by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Manchester.

Domains and indicators

Domains include Crime, Employment, Health, Education, Housing, Access, and Income, drawing on indicator sources such as police recorded crime datasets from Police Scotland, benefit records from the Department for Work and Pensions, health outcomes compiled by Public Health Scotland, and school attainment data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority. Indicators reference administrative collections maintained by bodies like Transport Scotland, Registers of Scotland, and the Scottish Prison Service.

Geography and data zones

Geographic granularity is provided by small areas called data zones defined by National Records of Scotland and aligned with boundaries used in census collections such as the 2011 United Kingdom census and the 2021 United Kingdom census. Data zones nest within council areas like Dundee City, Fife, and Highland and relate to parliamentary constituencies represented in the Scottish Parliament and the House of Commons. Spatial analysis frequently uses tools and basemaps from the Ordnance Survey and geographic frameworks used by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Use and applications

Policymakers in bodies such as Scottish Government directorates, NHS Scotland trusts, and local partnerships like Community Planning Partnerships use the index to target interventions alongside programmes from organisations including Skills Development Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, and housing associations such as GHA and Places for People. Academics at institutions including the University of Aberdeen, Heriot-Watt University, and the University of Dundee use the index in public health, urban studies, and social policy research; non-profits like Oxfam Scotland and Trussell Trust reference it in reports.

Criticism and limitations

Critics from think tanks such as the Adam Smith Institute and commentators in media outlets like the Scotsman and the Herald (Glasgow) highlight limitations relating to temporal lag, indicator selection, and ecological fallacy concerns raised by scholars at the University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow. Community groups including Shelter Scotland and academics at the University of Strathclyde note challenges in capturing rural deprivation patterns affecting areas in Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles. Methodological critiques reference debates in journals featuring contributors from King's College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Updates and releases

Major releases occurred in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2016, and 2020 with methodological notes produced by analysts linked to the Scottish Government and reviewed by external stakeholders including COSLA, NHS Health Scotland, and academic partners at the University of Stirling. Each release aligns indicators with administrative datasets maintained by organisations such as National Records of Scotland, HM Revenue and Customs, and Police Scotland and is used to inform funding decisions by bodies including the Scottish Funding Council and local authorities such as Glasgow City Council and Edinburgh City Council.

Category:Statistics of Scotland