Proposals to tackle the causes of deprivation and turn around deprived areas by 2021 were announced today by the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, writes Clare Jerrom.

The report pledges that by 2021, no one should be seriously disadvantaged as a result of where they live.

It identifies the factors that drive an area into decline and these include:-

• concentrations of worklessness

• poor housing and failure to address antisocial behaviour

• key public services, such as health and education, performing poorly

Prime minister Tony Blair said: “We must tackle concentrations of worklessness by helping those trapped on benefit, particularly the one million on incapacity-related benefits who we know want to work, back into jobs.”

“By involving local people in managing their own housing, their local services and, increasingly, local policing, we will tackle the fundamental drivers of decline and disadvantage,” he added.

The report promises better childcare for working parents, help for working age people who are living on benefits get back into work and for people in deprived areas to benefit from wider public service reforms.

Improving the prospects of people living in areas of multiple deprivation in England from http://www.strategy.gov.uk/files/pdf/da_report.pdf