Geo indicators: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Last modified: 25 Jul 2024

Introduction

This file is intended to be linked to the health record dataset, CORE_NHSD_LSOA1. It adds geographical indicators to each encrypted small area geography (Lower Super Output Area for England and Wales, Data Zone for Scotland or Super Output Area for Northern Ireland). The indicators include measures of deprivation for all 4 nations, population estimates and urban-rural classification. The small area geographies are those developed using the 2011 census. The associated data for each geographical unit is the most up to date available data that uses the 2011 boundaries, this is due to not all of the indicators yet available using the new 2021 census boundaries.

CORE geo indicators

England

1. Scale and Extent

Field	Value
Geographical coverage	England
Data Provider	Office of National Statistics, GOV.UK, Consumer Data Research Centre, My Society
Geographical Unit	LSOA11
Temporal Extent	2011-2020
Variables	15
Observations	32,844
–

2. Variables

Variable Group	Variable	Description	Source	Date range of data
Geographical	granularity	Lower Super Output Area code (2011)	Office of National Statistics	2011
Geographical	country	Country within the United Kingdom	Office of National Statistics	2011
Geographical	RGN11NM	Region within England	Office of National Statistics	2011
Deprivation	imd2029eng	English indices of deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles, 1=most deprived, 5=least deprived.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_income	English indices of deprivation 2019, Income, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest income, 5= highest income.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_employment	English indices of deprivation 2019, Employment, presented as quintiles. 1=highest unemployment, 5= lowest unemployment.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_education	English indices of deprivation 2019, Education, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest education and skills, 5= highest education and skills.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_health	English indices of deprivation 2019, Health, presented as quintiles. 1= high health deprivation, 5= low health deprivation.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_crime	English indices of deprivation 2019, Crime, presented as quintiles. 1= high crime rates, 5= low crime rates.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_barriers	English indices of deprivation 2019, Barriers to Housing and Services, presented as quintiles. 1= high barriers, 5= low barriers.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	imd2019eng_environment	English indices of deprivation 2019, Environment, presented as quintiles. 1= low quality environment, 5= high quality environment.	GOV.UK	2019
Deprivation	Imd2019har1	Consumer Data Research Centre’s Harmonisaed Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1=most deprived, 5=least deprived.	Consumer Data Research Centre	2019 (English IMD), 2019 (Welsh IMD), 2017 (Northern Irish MDM), 2020 (Scottish IMD)
Population Estimate	MPE_eng_2020	Mid-year (30 June) estimates of the usual resident population for Lower layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in England. 5 categories: <1200, 1200-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1800 and >1800.	Office for National Statistics	2020
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_eng_wal_2011	2011 Rural Urban Classification for England. 1= Urban major conurbation, 2= Urban minor conurbation, 3= Urban city and town, 4= Rural town and fringe, 5= Rural village and dispersed.	GOV.UK	2011
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_harm_20212	2021 UK Composite Rural Urban Classification. 1= Urban, 2= Rural, 3= More Rural.	My Society	2011 (England and Wales), 2016 (Scotland), 2015 (Northern Ireland)

¹ Citation if using the variable: Parsons, Alex (2021), UK Rural/Urban measures, https://github.com/mysociety/uk_ruc

² Citation if using the variable: Consumer Data Research Centre (2019), DOI: 10.20390/enginddepriv2015

Wales

1. Scale and Extent

Field	Value
Geographical coverage	Wales
Data Provider	Office of National Statistics, GOV.WALES, Consumer Data Research Centre
Geographical Unit	LSOA11
Temporal Extent	2011-2020
Variables	15
Observations	1909
–

2. Variables

Variable Group	Variable	Description	Source	Date range of data
Geographical	granularity	Lower Super Output Area code (2011)	Office of National Statistics	2011
Geographical	country	Country within the United Kingdom	Office of National Statistics	2011
Deprivation	imd2019wal	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_income	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Income, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest income, 5= highest income.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_employment	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Employment, presented as quintiles. 1= highest unemployment, 5= lowest unemployment.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_education	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Education, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest education, 5= highest education.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_health	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Health, presented as quintiles. 1= high health deprivation, 5= low health deprivation.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_safety	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Community Safety, presented as quintiles. 1= low community safety, 5= high community safety.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_services	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Access to Services, presented as quintiles. 1= Strong access, 5= Weak access.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_environment	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Physical Environment, presented as quintiles. 1= low quality environment, 5= high quality environment.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	imd2019wal_housing	Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Housing, presented as quintiles. 1= low quality housing, 5= high quality.	GOV.WALES	2019
Deprivation	Imd2019har1	Consumer Data Research Centre’s Harmonisaed Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	Consumer Data Research Centre	2019 (English IMD), 2019 (Welsh IMD), 2017 (Northern Irish MDM), 2020 (Scottish IMD)
Population Estimate	MPE_wal_2020	Mid-year (30 June) estimates of the usual resident population for Lower layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in England and Wales. 5 categories: <1200, 1200-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1800 and >1800.	Office for National Statistics	2020
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_eng_wal_2011	2011 Rural Urban Classification for England. 1= Urban major conurbation, 2= Urban minor conurbation, 3= Urban city and town, 4= Rural town and fringe, 5= Rural village and dispersed.	GOV.UK	2011
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_harm_2021 2	2021 UK Composite Rural Urban Classification. 1= Urban, 2= Rural, 3= More Rural	My Society	2011 (England and Wales), 2016 (Scotland), 2015 (Northern Ireland)

¹ Citation if using the variable: Parsons, Alex (2021), UK Rural/Urban measures, https://github.com/mysociety/uk_ruc

² Citation if using the variable: Consumer Data Research Centre (2019), DOI: 10.20390/enginddepriv2015

Scotland

1. Scale and Extent

Field	Value
Geographical coverage	Scotland
Data Provider	GOV.UK, GOV.SCOT, Consumer Data Research Centre, National Records of Scotland
Geographical Unit	Data Zones
Temporal Extent	2011-2021
Variables	14
Observations	6976
–

2. Variables

Variable Group	Variable	Description	Source	Date range of data
Geographical	granularity	Data Zones (2011)	GOV.UK	2011
Geographical	country	Country within the United Kingdom	GOV.SCOT	2011
Deprivation	imd2020scot	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_income	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Income, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest income, 5= highest income.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_employment	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Employment, presented as quintiles. 1= highest unemployment, 5= lowest unemployment.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_education	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Education, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest education, 5= highest education.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_health	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Health, presented as quintiles. 1= high health deprivation, 5= low health deprivation.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_access	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Access to Services, presented as quintiles. 1= strong access, 5= weak access.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_crime	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Crime, presented as quintiles. 1= high crime rates, 5= low crime rates.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2020scot_housing	Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, Housing, presented as quintiles. 1= low quality housing, 5= high quality.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Deprivation	imd2019har1	Consumer Data Research Centre’s Harmonisaed Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	Consumer Data Research Centre	2019 (English IMD), 2019 (Welsh IMD), 2017 (Northern Irish MDM), 2020 (Scottish IMD)
Population Estimate	MPE_scot_2021	Mid-year (30 June) estimates of the usual resident population for Data Zones (2011) in Scotland. 5 categories: <1200, 1200-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1800 and >1800.	National Records of Scotland	2021
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_scot_2020	Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2020. 1= Large Urban Areas, 2=Other Urban Areas, 3= Accessible Amall Towns, 4= Remote Small Towns, 5= Accessible Rural Areas, 6= Remote Rural Areas.	GOV.SCOT	2020
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_harm_20212	2021 UK Composite Rural Urban Classification. 1= Urban, 2= Rural, 3= More Rural.	My Society	2011 (England and Wales), 2016 (Scotland), 2015 (Northern Ireland)

¹ Citation if using the variable: Parsons, Alex (2021), UK Rural/Urban measures, https://github.com/mysociety/uk_ruc

² Citation if using the variable: Consumer Data Research Centre (2019), DOI: 10.20390/enginddepriv2015

Northern Ireland

1. Scale and Extent

Field	Value
Geographical coverage	Northern Ireland
Data Provider	Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, Consumer Data Research Centre
Geographical Unit	SOA
Temporal Extent	2011-2020
Variables	14
Observations	890
–

2. Variables

Variable Group	Variable	Description	Source	Date range of data
Geographical	granularity	Super Output Areas (2011)	NISRA	2011
Geographical	country	Country within the United Kingdom	NISRA	2011
Deprivation	imd2017ir	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_income	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, Income, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest income, 5= highest income.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_employment	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, Employment, presented as quintiles. 1= highest unemployment, 5= lowest unemployment.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_education	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, Education, presented as quintiles. 1= lowest education, 5= highest education.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_ health	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, Health, presented as quintiles. 1= high health deprivation, 5= low health deprivation.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_access	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, Access to Services, presented as quintiles. 1= strong access, 5= weak access.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_crime	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, presented as quintiles. 1= high crime rates, 5= low crime rates.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2017ir_environment	Northern Ireland Multiple Deprivation Measure 2017, presented as quintiles. 1= low quality environment, 5= high quality environment.	NISRA	2017
Deprivation	imd2019har1	Consumer Data Research Centre’s Harmonisaed Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019, presented as quintiles. 1= most deprived, 5= least deprived.	Consumer Data Research Centre	2019 (English IMD), 2019 (Welsh IMD), 2017 (Northern Irish MDM), 2020 (Scottish IMD)
Population Estimate	MPE_ire_2020	Mid-year (30 June) estimates of the usual resident population for Super Output Areas (2011) in Northern Ireland. 5 categories: <1200, 1200-1500, 1500-1600, 1600-1800 and >1800.	NISRA	2020
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_ire_2015	Settlement classification 2015. 1=Urban, 2= Mixed urban/rural, 3= Rural	NISRA	2015
Urban-Rural Indicator	ur_harm_20212	2021 UK Composite Rural Urban Classification. 1= Urban, 2= Rural, 3= More Rural.	My Society	2011 (England and Wales), 2016 (Scotland), 2015 (Northern Ireland)

¹ Citation if using the variable: Parsons, Alex (2021), UK Rural/Urban measures, https://github.com/mysociety/uk_ruc

² Citation if using the variable: Consumer Data Research Centre (2019), DOI: 10.20390/enginddepriv2015

Data Linkage

England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland each have their own geo indicator dataset.

To link LLC_XXXX.CORE_nhsd_lsoa11_v0000_YYYYMMDD with LLC_XXXX.CORE_lsoa11_geo_indicators_england_v0000_YYYYMMDD LLC_XXXX.CORE_lsoa11_geo_indicators_wales_v0000_YYYYMMDD LLC_XXXX.CORE_lsoa11_geo_indicators_scotland_v0000_YYYYMMDD LLC_XXXX.CORE_lsoa11_geo_indicators_ireland_v0000_YYYYMMDD:

1. Retrieve data from database via helper syntax

2. Link datasets on the Granularity field. Example of STATA syntax linking to England only:

*load NHSD geographical unit dataset

use “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_nhsd_lsoa11_v0001_20221217.dta”, clear

merge m: 1 granularity using “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_geo_indicators_england_v0001_20240614.dta” *drop geographical units not linked to any participant health record
drop if _merge ** 2

*append England, Scot, wales, ni

use “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_geo_indicators_england_v0001_20240614.dta”

append using “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_geo_indicators_wales_v0001_20240614.dta”

append using “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_geo_indicators_scotland_v0001_20240614.dta”

append using “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_geo_indicators_ireland_v0001_20240614.dta”

save nations_geo, replace

use “S:\LLC_9999\data\stata_w_labs\CORE_nhsd_lsoa11_v0001_20221217.dta”, clear

merge m: 1 granularity using nations_geo

*drop geographical units not linked to any participant health record

drop if _merge ** 2

CORE_nhsd_lsoa11 is a long dataset typically with millions of rows, depending on size of data request. It is therefore recommended that you subset both or either of these datasets before linking/processing/saving. An example of this would be to select the quintile from the Index of Multiple Deprivation that you are going to use and keep these variables only. This will ensure the dataset size remains as manageable as possible. It is also advised to only link to the country/ countries that you require.

Data Harmonisation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

To harmonise the Indices of Multiple Deprivation across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, use the ‘imd2019har’ variable that is in the CORE geo datasets for all 4 countries. The variable uses the Consumer Data Research Centre’s Harmonised Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019. The indicator is a simple (non-reweighted) combination of the English IMD 2019, Welsh IMD 2019, Northern Irish MDM 2017 and the Scottish IMD 2020. The index is presented as quintiles.

For more information, click here.

Urban-Rural Classification

To harmonise the urban-rural classifications across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, use the ‘ur_harm_2021’ variable that is in the CORE geo datasets for all 4 countries. The variable is derived from the My Society’s UK Composite Rural Urban Classification. The indicator is a 3-fold metric that describes various small areas (LSOAs/Datazones/SOAs) on a rural/urbal scale that is comparable across the UK.

For more information, click here.