Poorest Towns in the UK – Newport, Wales

Why is Newport, Wales so poor? Newport is one of the towns in the UK that people don’t migrate to. The reason? It’s one of the poorest places to live in the United Kingdom. We included it in a video that ranked it along with other poor towns in the country. But time wouldn’t allow us to do justice to that account in the video. Yet, we feel we need to tell you more so that you can be convinced beyond doubt and sentiment that this town in the beautiful and tranquil countryside of Wales is indeed poor. As usual, this video will not cast aspersion on the competence of the governmental authority, it’s only a wake-up call.

But to start with, where’s Newport located? It’s a county borough situated on the River Usk not far from its confluence with the Severn Estuary. The Welsh town is located 19 kilometers northeast of Cardiff. We understand that Newport, the third-largest authority with city status in Wales, was granted that status during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the late Queen. Yet, for the purpose of this video, we would consider this 7th most populous authority overall a town as we have done in our video about the poorest towns in Britain. Kindly bear that in mind as we discuss the place that became a unitary authority in 1996 and which is part of the Cardiff-Newport metropolitan area.
Is Newport Really Poor?
We honestly wouldn’t have considered Newport poor and ranked it anywhere near the poorest towns if we hadn’t heard about its damning position in the most recent Index of Multiple Deprivation in Wales. The report shows that it is now the most deprived area in Wales. The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD), before arriving at this conclusion, measures deprivation levels primarily on income and employment. It also considers domains of health, education, community safety, access to services, living environment and housing.
According to the recent WIMD data, Newport is unfortunately not making enough or considerable progress in its effort to address the deprivation earlier observed in 2011 and 2014. In 2011, as many as 16 areas of this town ranked among the 10 percent most deprived in Wales. By then, it was the fourth most deprived in the country. In 2014, the number remained the same and the ranking soared.
But now, the number of neighborhoods ranked among the most deprived in Wales has grown to 23 which is equal to 24 percent of the authority. And the remainder of the 95 neighborhoods in Newport are at risk of becoming deprived if this trend continues. The current rate is the biggest percentage of any local authority in the country. That explains why the entire area is considered the most deprived.
The Most Deprived Areas of Newport
Yes, we know that not all of the 95 Newport neighborhoods on WIMD records are deprived. But consider what we just said. If 24.2 percent of them are found among the most deprived 10 percent in Wales, and 60 percent of them are in the top 50 percent, doesn’t that hoist a big banner announcing deprivation?

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[theharringtons]

The council have wasted millions building ridiculous looking buildings instead of restoring the beautiful original buildings they already have...look at the train station...it needs to be torn down and the old beautiful restored station used again...stop the parking fees and stop building malls which are half empty and the high street shops are not being utilised...more green areas...the biggest problem is the place is a rubbish tip...

[dizzyc]

Some of the footage is outdated like #south wales argus office now doesn't exist and replaced with a Lidl...

[Cardifftoyboy]

The port grew on coal and iron when the docks was developed and Newport became rich. As the steelworks and iron works closed and the coal mines were closed the reason for Newport's growth and industrial existence ceased to exist. I was born there and when I lost my "Job for life" in Llanwern Steelworks I moved away to find work as did most of my friends.

[DianaVickersUK]

Anyone remember the moving clock in the square? Loved that as a child, heard it’s been moved to a roundabout? 😂

[richiesasquire]

Lived in Newport for 43 years and have watched as it has slowly but surely deteriorated. I believe that its a combination of mis-managed finances, poor management, poor decision making, rent is too high for retailers and the council has increased council tax to compensate. All the big shops and big names have gone to Spytty!

Closed and empty shops, homeless people camping in every empty shop front and 'mish mash' shops at the end selling odds and sods and if you are fortunate enough, you might even be offered 'gear'. Friars Walk is slowly becoming abandoned and the list of shops listed on the wall in two foot high letters have almost all gone! EMPTY SHOPS DON'T PAY RENT!!! LOWER THE RATES TO INCREASE TRADE! Logic!

Cwmbran is a much better alternative to Newport for shopping, leisure and parks.

[lewisb]

Newport is what happens when interconnected industries coal/steel/port all withdraw at the same time and no industry comes back to replace them.

[MemeAthon.]

Everyone in Gwent is poor these days lol😅 every shop is horrible i stopped shopping their high street full of rubbish corner shop

[NPTDann]

I live in Newport, and am a bit offended. but at least it's informal

[weylandyutani]

Newport itself is not as bad as parts of Birmingham and Bristol I have been to recently, was shocking.

[saturdayplayer]

Many of the areas you described as being deprived were built to service the people who came to work in the docks and steel industries. Those have largely disappeared and the decent wages( comparatively) have gone and not bee replaced and the knock on effect has been huge.

[Genehunt]

Is it really one of the poorest places to live in the UK, there is a lot of poverty all over Great Britain, it can’t be that bad as our neighbours across the bridge are moving here from Bristol.

[TerryMoulton-mq]

It is so bad in Newport that people are going to Cwmbran shopping

[frankjoseph]

You have to pay something for having such beautiful people

[thenotsohairybiker]

What an utter load of rubbish, I must be poor, own my house, drive a Mercedes and a BMW and lived and worked here for 66 years

[lynettemahoney]

I left Newport 51 yrs ago, i emigrated to Australia.I come back regularly to see family.I must say it makes me very sad to see that Newport has deteriorated so much.Building houses is ok but you must have infrastructure to go with it.I was in Newport 12 yrs ago and in a shop at John Frost Square they had a model to say this is what Newport will look like in 20 yrs time.I laughed and said it had not changed since I left so it will never change.I was right.Sorry but Newport is a dump!

[myalfie]

Some of your footage IS NOT Newport very misleading, .it’s house prices are high a high number coming from Bristol, it’s no worse than most other city’s it’s not a town since 2002.The internet shopping is mainly the reason most city centres are closing.

[ifanjones]

5:12 that's Newport in Pembrokeshire not Newport in Gwent.

[mrsgabgillianbates]

This is a lie most of the videos are not from newport many people on the streets are not from newport they come here knowing volunteers and the generous people of newport will not turn anyone away we all donate foods to the people that come far and wide from wales and England we also rehouse them they know newportians are generous people and will go without to take care of them no matter who yuo are or were you come from

[aijeonline]

I went there recently and it was so grim. Just needs sprucing up and reinvigoration of culture and new cultures added, I think. It was awful, really bad

[wurzelle]

When you arrive at Newport look at the condition of the Civic Centre. Most decision makers are housed here so the condition of the building represents their mindset .(It's never been different) Go to Cardiff and see the difference that progressive politicians can make. Newport has always been run by the same 'old boys and now a few old girls.'