UK areas where the cost of living is hitting hardest.

Centre for Cities used ONS data to map income deprivation and identifies Blackburn, Hull, Birmingham and Bradford among the most affected while Aldershot, Cambridge, Reading and Exeter are the least affected; a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report says 14.2 million people live in poverty, including 6.8 million in deep deprivation.

New analysis maps which UK cities are experiencing the heaviest pressure on living standards. The Centre for Cities drew on Office for National Statistics figures to identify where neighbourhoods fall among the most deprived. The topic has gained attention as politicians and researchers urge action to boost growth across regions. A separate Joseph Rowntree Foundation report is cited on national poverty totals. Key findings: - The Joseph Rowntree Foundation reports 14.2 million people in the UK living in poverty, including 6.8 million in the deepest form of deprivation. - Centre for Cities’ analysis of ONS data names Blackburn as having the highest share of neighbourhoods among the 20 most deprived, followed by Hull, Birmingham and Bradford. - Cities with the lowest shares of highly deprived neighbourhoods include Aldershot, Cambridge, Reading and Exeter. - ONS data for the decade to 2025 show average incomes rose by about 8%; Cambridge recorded the largest weekly cash increase (£123.22) and Crawley the largest real-terms fall (−£59.85). Summary: The findings underline persistent regional variation in living standards and point to cities where deprivation is concentrated. Centre for Cities’ chief executive Andrew Carter said stronger economic growth is needed to raise household incomes and that short-term cost-of-living fixes will not be enough. The prime minister and other officials have framed 2026 as a year to show whether there will be more jobs, higher wages and stronger local growth by the end of the year.