As part of the 2021 census, households in England and Wales were classified in terms of four different "dimensions of deprivation”. Households were considered to be deprived if they met one of the four following criteria:
• Employment: if any member of the household, who is not a full-time student, is either unemployed or long-term sick
• Education: if no-one in the household has five or more GCSE passes, or equivalent, and no-one aged 16 to 18 is a full-time student
• Health and disability: if anyone in the household is in bad or very bad health or is disabled
• Housing: if the home is either overcrowded, in a shared dwelling or has no central heating
The Office for National Statistics said deprivation is a "complex topic", adding that more detailed information would come in future releases.