The Ethnic Group Deprivation Index (EGDI) is a metric designed to quantify socioeconomic deprivation across various ethnic groups within a population. This index combines indicators such as income, employment, education, housing conditions, and health access, offering insights into disparities faced by different ethnic groups.
By highlighting specific deprivation levels, the EGDI enables researchers and policymakers to target interventions, analyse the impact of systemic inequality, and monitor progress toward reducing deprivation.
The dataset is essential for understanding the socioeconomic challenges of diverse communities and fostering more equitable policy planning and resource allocation.
The EGDI is based on a tailored 2021 Census dataset that cross-references data on employment, housing, education, and health by ethnic group. This index highlights detailed local areas where ethnic inequalities persist but have largely been overlooked, despite their significant impact on life opportunities and overall well-being.
The EGDI shows that even within the same neighbourhood, different ethnic groups can face vastly different levels of deprivation—where one group may struggle with high levels of need, another may experience minimal challenges. This index offers valuable insights for creating culturally relevant policies and guiding the allocation of resources at the community level.
For the Extent of inequality score the closer to zero the better indicating that all ethnic groups have similar deprivation levels. (lower is better)
For the decile 1 indicates the most deprived 10% in England and Wales; 10 indicates the least deprived 10% in England and Wales. (higher is better).
For further information and a detailed breakdown of methodology see: https://gedi.ac.uk/articles/an-ethnic-group-specific-deprivation-index-for-measuring-neighbourhood-inequalities-in-england-and-wales/