Area deprivation in Scotland: A new assessment

This paper gives an account of an attempt to create a new area deprivation index for Scotland based mainly upon non-census indicators and calibrated at the spatial level of the postcode sector. This is the first such index to be produced in the UK. The paper explains why there is currently more interest in this type of index, describes how the index was constructed from identification of deprivation domains through selection of indicators to their standardisation, transformation and combination into a single measure. A multidimensional account of the resulting geographical pattern of deprivation is given. There then follows a discussion of various issues surrounding the index and areas for further development or improvement are identified.