Comparison of earnings, employment, health and education data in local authority areas identified “pockets of significant deprivation” in seaside towns and a widening gap between coastal communities and the rest of the country. The government has pledged to give £40m to coastal areas in an attempt to boost employment and encourage tourism. “Many coastal communities are poorly connected to major employment centres in the UK, which compounds the difficulties faced by residents in these areas. The government needs to do more to track – and address – economic problems in our coastal towns. “Particularly in the south-east, some coastal communities are pockets of significant deprivation surrounded by affluence – meaning their problems are often overlooked by policymakers.”

Source: The Guardian September 04, 2017 07:23 UTC