Download our new report: Breaking the cycle: Delivering good jobs for ‘doubly disadvantaged’ neighbourhoods.

CPP has joined forces with Local Trust to explore the challenges facing residents in England’s most struggling neighbourhoods, and to call for a plan to deliver growth and prosperity to these areas.

In a new report, CPP and Local Trust reveal the extent of challenges faced by the 2.3 million people in England living in ‘doubly disadvantaged’ neighbourhoods: those that face both high material deprivation and low levels of social assets (like community centres) and connectivity.

The research finds that:

• Residents in doubly disadvantaged areas face a ‘no jobs or bad jobs’ trap: over half (54%) of adult residents are economically inactive or unemployed.

• For those in work, low pay and insecure work are the norm – even compared to other deprived areas.

• This contributes to poor health outcomes: life expectancy and rates of preventable deaths are considerably worse in doubly disadvantaged areas.

• A lack of transport options to neighbouring areas further limits job access: transport to access jobs elsewhere is worse than in other areas, and the few available positions tend to offer low pay and poor conditions.

• Many residents are digitally excluded: 43.4% of these neighbourhoods are considered among the ‘least engaged with the internet’ - compared to 8.8% of places across England.

• Growth in doubly disadvantaged areas has been non-existent for decades. But investment in social capital can help turn the tide: we find a consistently positive relationship between investment in social capital or social infrastructure and economic growth.

Following the Employment Rights Bill and ahead of the Budget and Spending Review, CPP and Local Trust argue that support for these communities should be a test case for the government’s approach to ‘fixing the foundations’ by tackling long term challenges.

CPP and Local Trust are calling for a renewal of neighbourhood policy, including:

1. The creation of a new Neighbourhoods Unit as part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, to lead a national programme of neighbourhood renewal;
2. Rolling out a Community Wealth Fund to drive long-term investment in social infrastructure in doubly disadvantaged communities, and ringfencing a share of the next generation of devolved regeneration funding for those neighbourhoods.
3. Requiring Mayors to set out how they will support doubly disadvantaged neighbourhoods through their plans on skills, growth and transport.