There is greater deprivation among London’s East End’s young and old than anywhere else in the country, a study has shown.

This is one of the findings in The English Indices of Deprivation 2015, which showed that nearly 40 per cent of children in Tower Hamlets live in income deprived households.

The borough also topped the same table for older people, with nearly half (49.7pc) in that category.

The ‘extent’ summary measure of deprivation, which ranks deprivation by looking at all seven different domains, showed Tower Hamlets as the third most deprived in the country – the same position it occupied in a 2010 study.

But there were some positive results, with Tower Hamlets dropping from 7th to 24th in the overall deprivation rankings.

“The figures on income deprivation affecting children and older people in Tower Hamlets show how much we have still to do to tackle poverty and inequality,” commented Mayor John Biggs, adding there was no room for complacency, despite the overall drop.

“For some, there is no link between economic growth and better living standards. Children living in poverty and older people, often living on state pensions and benefits, are not benefitting from current economic trends. This has been exacerbated by the fact that the Tory government has chosen to take more from the most deprived local authorities.”

Mayor Biggs appealed to the current government to consider the implications of ongoing cuts affecting the “most vulnerable in society”.

“Alongside many other local authorities, we are seeing an increasing number of people adversely affected by changes to benefits and unable to find an affordable home,” he added.

Go to https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/465791/English_Indices_of_Deprivation_2015_-_Statistical_Release.pdf to find out more.