Deprived northern regions worst hit by UK austerity, study finds

Poorest areas bearing brunt of council spending cuts, according to thinktank analysis

Austerity cuts have fallen hardest on deprived communities in the north of England, which are enduring the highest poverty rates and weakest economies, according to a study.

The Centre for Cities thinktank study shows that the poorest areas have borne the brunt of council spending cuts. Local authority spending has fallen nationally by half since 2010, with areas such as Liverpool, Blackburn and Barnsley facing average cuts twice that of their counterparts in the more affluent south, according to the thinktank.