Startling new official statistics have laid bare a stark and growing economic divide across England, revealing that the nation's six very poorest neighbourhoods are all located within the city of Birmingham.
The Widening Chasm: A £87,000 Annual Divide
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), covering the financial year ending 2023, expose a dramatic gap in household disposable income. Households in the Leamouth area of Tower Hamlets, London, enjoy the highest average disposable income at £107,600 per year after tax. This affluent neighbourhood, nestled between Canning Town and Canary Wharf, sits at the very top of the earnings scale.
In stark contrast, Sparkhill North in Birmingham was found to have the lowest average income in the entire country, with households having just under £20,800 a year to spend. This creates a staggering annual difference of £86,800 between the richest and poorest areas. Alarmingly, this chasm has grown rapidly. When similar data was last published for the financial year ending 2020, the gap stood at £50,300, meaning it has widened by 73% in just three years.
Birmingham's Poorest Neighbourhoods: The Full List
The ONS analysis, which calculates averages for small areas known as Middle-layer Super Output Areas, confirmed that England's half-dozen lowest-earning locales are all inner-city districts of Birmingham. The data shows the following average annual disposable incomes:
- Sparkhill North - £20,800
- Sparkbrook South - £21,548
- Small Heath Park - £21,666
- Saltley East - £21,689
- Washwood Heath - £21,787
- Bordesley Green North - £21,928
This concentration of deprivation in the West Midlands is further highlighted by the fact that almost a quarter (23%) of neighbourhoods in the region fall within the bottom 10% nationally for household income. This pattern is mirrored in the North East of England.
Regional Disparities and How to Check Your Area
The data underscores a profound geographical imbalance in prosperity. London dominates the upper end of the spectrum, with 45% of its neighbourhoods ranking in the top 10% for disposable income. This paints a picture of a nation where economic fortune is heavily dependent on postcode.
Residents across the UK can investigate the figures for their own local area by using an interactive map, where entering a postcode reveals the average disposable household income. The ONS produces this detailed analysis every two years, examining income after deductions for tax, national insurance, and council tax.
The revelation that England's most acute pockets of poverty are clustered in one major city will intensify debates about regional inequality, the cost of living crisis, and the policies needed to bridge this deepening divide.
