Five of the worst places to live

Last updated at 08:27 09 August 2005


Easington, County Durham

A population of more than 93,000.

The percentage of pupils attaining five or more GCSEs (or equivalent) at level A - C was 36.7%, well below the UK average of 57.3%.

44% have no qualifications at all and only 57.3% are economically active in employment.

Lack of industry - the mining, shipbuilding in Sunderland, steel works and coke ovens have gone.

Parts of British film Billy Elliot were filmed around Easington.

Hackney

Population is 208,400 and one of 33 London boroughs.

Home to the so-called Murder Mile: A stretch of road named after a series of fatal shootings.

Still pricey - £180k only buys a two-to-three bed ex-local authority house.

30% of residents of working age have no qualifications - more than twice the proportion in inner London as a whole.

Estimated yearly cost of recorded crime is nearly £171m

Merthyr Tydfil

Located in the South Wales countryside and has a population of 38,600.

Merthyr Tydfil has an unemployment rate of 28% - the highest jobless percentage in Britain.

Only 39.3% of final year pupils achieved five or more GCSEs or equivalent at A -C.

More than 10,000 people claim incapacity benefit in Merthyr Tydfil, which has been dubbed the 'sickness capital of Britain'.

Nottingham

Nottinghamshire became the first UK police force to arm officers on routine patrol four years ago.

The city's Queens Medical Centre deals with more gunshot wounds than any other city in the UK.

Last year there was almost one gun-related incident occurring every day in Nottingham.

Salford

In the bottom dozen for education.

More than 130 anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in Salford since the measure was introduced five years ago.

Only 39.3% of 15 year-olds in academic year 2003/04 achieved five or more-GCSEs grades A -C, lagging behind the UK average of 57.3%.

The worst UK constituency for secondary school absences, with 68.1% missing lessons.

But a regeneration hotspot with renovation taking place of some of Salford's old terraces.

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