Study shows that deprivation has risen in the majority of Haverhill in the last four years

A new study of how people in Haverhill are faring economically has shown that almost two thirds of the town is experiencing more deprivation now than four years ago.

The new findings, based on figures by the Ministry of Housing, Government and Local Communities were presented to the ONE Haverhill Partnership board meeting last Thursday by town councillor Alan Stinchcombe.

The new ‘Indices of Deprivation’ figures were compared to the statistics recorded in 2015.

For the study, Haverhill was broken down into 14 areas of population and each area has seven ‘domains’ of deprivation:

n Income

n Employment

n Education, Skills & Training

n Health Deprivation & Disability

n Crime

n Barriers to Housing & Services

n Living Environment

These are used to give an overall Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The study shows that of the 14 areas in Haverhill, five have become less deprived than they were in 2015 and nine have become more deprived.

Cllr Stinchcombe said the report revealed that parts of the Clements and Chalkstone estates were still struggling and that in particular one area of the Clements had seen a 7 per cent rise in income deprivation affecting children.

The study also showed that although neither of the areas of Hanchett Village and Arrendene Road and Falklands Road has high levels of income deprivation, ‘they are slipping from their previously comfortable positions’. Both neighbourhoods also saw a 1 per cent increase in income deprivation affecting children.