Monitoring Poverty in Greater Manchester: Key Data Sources & Indicators

Key Data Sources & Indicators

Understanding and tackling poverty effectively requires good data. Below is a selection of trusted sources and indicators to support decision-making, strategy development, and community action.

Area-Based Deprivation

Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)

• Ranks neighbourhoods by levels of deprivation across 7 domains (income, employment, health, education, crime, housing, environment).
• Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics

Income and Employment

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

• Data on household income, employment, and benefits.
• Includes annual surveys and labour market statistics.
• Source: https://www.ons.gov.uk

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Statistics

• Covers Universal Credit claims, benefit sanctions, and low-income indicators.
• Source: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Citizens Advice

• Dashboard to share insights from across their services on how the crisis is affecting the people they help.
• Source: Our Data – We are Citizens Advice 

Children and Families

Free School Meals Eligibility

• Local data on child poverty levels by school and ward.
• Useful for mapping need and targeting family support services.

Local Authority Child Poverty Dashboards

• e.g. Salford, Manchester, and Trafford regularly publish detailed reports and analysis.

Housing and Living Costs

Shelter and Crisis Housing Data

• Tracks homelessness, housing affordability, and availability.
• Source: https://england.shelter.org.uk

Fuel Poverty and Cost of Living Reports

• Published by BEIS, ONS, and regional think tanks.
• Includes energy costs, inflation, and basic living costs.

Food and Essentials

Trussell Trust Foodbank Network

• Local data on food parcel distribution and emergency support demand.
• Source: https://www.trusselltrust.org

The Food Foundation

• Reports on food insecurity, diet, and inequality.
• Source: https://foodfoundation.org.uk

Regional and Local Strategy Data

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

• Inclusive Economy and Anti-Poverty data reports, strategy updates, and impact dashboards.
• Source: https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

• Greater Manchester Resident Survey finding out peoples experiences including attitudes towards food insecurity.
• Source: Resident Surveys - Greater Manchester Combined Authority 

Lived Experience and Community Insight

Poverty Truth Commission, Community Surveys

• Community-led research and participatory data gathering.
• Vital for understanding the human impact and identifying meaningful solutions.

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