Methods for the Spatial Targeting of Urban Policy in the UK: A Comparative Analysis

Widespread use is made of spatial targeting methods to determine the location of area-based policy initiatives within British cities. The aim of this paper is to gain a fuller understanding of the performance of such methods. A systematic comparison is made of the Government’s Index of Multiple Deprivation, a composite measure that draws together government statistics; and census-based geodemographic systems which offer an alternative form of targeting. The performance of these different targeting systems is assessed in isolating concentrations of households experiencing multiple deprivation. A hybrid targeting method is developed, capitalising on the strengths of the two approaches. This appears to offer additional benefits in terms of its “targeting power”.