00:00New figures show exactly where deprivation is most severe in Wales and they paint a stark picture.
00:06The 2025 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation ranks every small neighbourhood in the country
00:10and once again, a part of Rhyll, centred on the Rhyll High Street, is named the most deprived area in the whole of Wales.
00:17The report makes clear that disadvantage is spread far more widely than just a few areas, with deprivation found all across the country.
00:25Blyle Gwent has the highest concentration of deprivation anywhere in Wales,
00:28with around 1 in 5 of its neighbourhoods falling into the most disadvantaged 10% nationally.
00:34Communities in Ebber Vale, Tredegar and Abba Teleria are those repeatedly appearing in the top of the list.
00:40Similar patterns run across much of the South Wales Valleys, where areas in Merthyr Tydville, Rondhacan and Taf,
00:46Cefilly and Neathportal, but all rank among the hardest hit.
00:50Coastal communities also feature heavily.
00:51Beyond Rhyll, pockets of deep deprivation appear in parts of Barrie, Port Talbot, Swansea and Newport.
00:58Almost every local authority in Wales has at least one neighbourhood in the most deprived 10%,
01:03the only exception is Monmouthshire.
01:06The report identifies 22 places across Wales as experiencing deep-rooted deprivation,
01:11being they have appeared among the worst affected areas for more than two decades.
01:15Many of these communities were built around heavy industry and have seen long-term economic decline.
01:20Deprivation in this index doesn't describe individuals, but it highlights where issues like low income,
01:26poor health, limited transport, housing pressures and restricted access to services are clustering most strongly.
01:33The data shows how widespread the issues are, and with the vast majority of the bottom 10% being there for years,
01:39real improvement isn't coming anytime soon.
01:41James Pete Watkins, reporting for local TV.
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