Rochdale ranks as a hard-up place to live

Lower Falinge in Rochdale has been reported as one of the poorest parts of Greater Manchester

Rochdale is ranked 364th out of 389 towns and cities in the Legatum Institute's annual Prosperity Index.

Only Oldham at 365th and Manchester at 379th rank lower in Greater Manchester.

Nationally, Waverley in Surrey is ranked at the top while Kingston Upon Hull and Blackpool are bottom.

The Legatum Institute UK-only Prosperity Index, ranks the regions of the UK by their level of prosperity.

It takes into account economic quality, business environment, education, health, safety and security, social capital, and natural environment.

Key Findings

Urban Britain is failing to deliver
When prosperity is compared to an area’s wealth, just 34 of the UK’s 138 urban areas are delivering notably more prosperity than their wealth would suggest (a surplus). The majority have marked prosperity deficits.

Poor but prosperous
The top ten most prosperous areas represent a staggering cross-section of the nation’s wealth, from an economic output per head of around £14,000 (putting it within the ten poorest) to £33,000 (just outside the 20 richest). How well local areas do in turning their wealth into prosperity - rather than their wealth alone - is by far the strongest predictor of how prosperous they are.

Deliver on life chances and you deliver on prosperity
Life chances - health, social capital, education level, wellbeing, and sense of opportunity - are the best predictor of whether a local area is delivering a prosperity surplus.

Social capital has the potential to be a potent driver of prosperity through real localism
Social capital - when community-focused - has the potential to supercharge prosperity through localism, using direct community level decision-making. When social capital is more identity-based, however, this is harder to achieve.

Alexandra Mousavizadeh, of the Legatum Institute, said: "The index shows a clear failure by every level of local, national, and supranational government to deliver for many parts of the UK. Britain has prospered greatly over the last 40 years, but the journey from poverty to prosperity has not been open to all.

"This index is a rallying call for a new agenda of localism capable of driving wealth creation, sparking aspiration, and supporting fulfilment. Here it points to the power of strong social capital in communities to deliver transformation.

"As Britain shapes her future outside the EU, the UK Prosperity index - mapping prosperity through seven categories across 389 local authority areas - highlights the urgent need to address how wealth is translated into prosperity across these islands. It is the first full subnational Prosperity Index ever produced, and the first time that this data has been brought together to map prosperity in the UK at this level.

"The UK cannot truly succeed as a global nation and as a country that works for everyone without the aspiration and achievements of all."

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