Multiple Deprivation Measure consultation response

NICVA has worked with NISRA over the past ten years on development and reviews of the Measures and we think it is now timely that, as proposed, we take cognisance of changes to benefits and access to new data which can be utilised within the existing measures structure in the interim.

The unsuitability of data from the Family Resource Survey (FRS) and the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for use in NIMDM arises several times in the course of the consultation document. NICVA recognises the importance of these surveys and also the considerable expense they entail. However, it is unfortunate that they cannot be utilised in the NI Multiple Deprivation Measure due to the sample size in Northern Ireland, even with boosted samples.

For the development of the next set of deprivation measures, NICVA would urge consideration of how these surveys could be further boosted to make them amenable to use at small area level and thus for inclusion in a future MDM