Sheffield

Here’s a great example of how local authorities can use the IMD to target programmes more efficiently: Sheffield’s ‘Activity Sheffield’ programme provides free sport and activity sessions for people around the city.

The programme’s ‘core team’ focuses on the key age groups of 8 to 16 year olds and those over 65, and works within the 50 most deprived areas of the city in order to target greatest need.

Incidentally, the councils budget for 2014-15 (download here) also notes that the IMD is used as a demographic indicator in determining need and priorities for libraries when making decisions about budgets, pointing out that “The location of library services is acute for this group of people, as the cost of travelling to another library could be a barrier to accessing the service.” This is an example of how local authorities can use the indices to prioritise the allocation of resources to areas of greatest need and vulnerability.