PA Jaywick has once again topped the list of the most deprived areas in England

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Jaywick, near Clacton, has once again topped the list of the most deprived areas in England with dire levels of income, employment, crime and living standards. The once popular seaside destination, which was the subject of Channel 5 series Benefits By The Sea, was given a withering rating by the Government report which assessed poverty levels across the country. The dilapidated town received the lowest overall score of 32,844 districts in England, whose prosperity was measured by statistics on income, employment, health, disability, crime and living standards.

PA The dilapidated town received the lowest overall score of 32,844 districts in England

The Government's Indices of Deprivation found Middlesbrough council had the highest proportion of deprived neighbours, while Birmingham had the largest number. All of the local authorities with the highest proportion of deprived neighbourhoods are in the north - Middlesbrough, Knowsley, Hull, Liverpool and Manchester. The London boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Haringey have all dropped out of the list of the 20 most deprived areas.

PA Jaywick initially benefited from the plotlands craze of the 1930s

Jaywick initially benefited from the plotlands craze of the 1930s, which saw working class Londoners buying strips of land for a country retreat. But all that is now left behind from the faded seaside town's boom time are decrepit holiday homes. Clacton MP Douglas Carswell warned Jaywick's deprivation would continue to spiral out of control without action from local and central government.

PA The town was given a withering rating by the Government report which assessed poverty levels

PA Douglas Carswell warned Jaywick's deprivation would continue to spiral out of control without action

He said: "People in Jaywick have been let down by big government and official planning restrictions that have prevented any significant new housing investment for 40 years. "Until planning rules are liberalised and capital can be invested in Jaywick the downward spiral will continue." Mr Carswell said he had lobbied government and the council to introduce minimum housing standards for people on benefits. The Ukip MP added: "Thanks to government policy we are subsidising squalor."

People in Jaywick have been let down by big government Douglas Carswell

Gill Elkins, of the Jaywick and Tudor Residents Association, told the BBC she was disappointed but not surprised by Jaywick's dismal rating. She also pointed that the latest findings, based on figures from 2012-13, will not take into account recent investment in improving roads and homes. Ms Elkins said: "A lot of our infrastructure still needs improving but things are happening here. "There is still a lot of community spirit here, everyone knows each other and is willing to help each other out, things like that don't seem to be considered as part of the deprivation figures."

Report author Baljit Gill said: "There are concentrations of deprivation in large urban conurbations, areas that have historically had large heavy industry, manufacturing and or mining sectors, coastal towns, and large parts of east London. "There are also pockets of deprivation surrounded by less deprived places in every region of England."