The number of Kent neighbourhoods ranked among the country’s most deprived has increased over the last six years, new government data reveals.

Ramsgate town centre has the county’s highest levels of deprivation, according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2025, published this week.

More than 70 neighbourhoods across Kent now fall inside England’s most deprived 10% – up from 51 in 2019.

Parts of Swale and Medway are also now scoring worse compared to other areas on measures such as income, employment, education, health and crime.

In Ramsgate , several neighbourhoods have fallen sharply in the rankings.

The area covering the town centre – where one in four shops is empty – is now ranked the 48th most deprived in England.

Nearby parts of Newington and central Ramsgate als

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