BLACKBURN, Burnley and Pendle have been named in the top 20 of the country’s most deprived areas, according to a new government report.

The English Indices of Deprivation 2015 study is used to help target regions most in need of funding due to low quality of life.

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It measures the levels of deprivation in 32,844 neighbourhoods – smaller than council wards – and creates an average score. These marks put Burnley ninth, Blackburn with Darwen 12th and Pendle 18th in the rankings.

But the MPs of the three constituencies reacted strongly when the findings were put to them.

Burnley representative Julie Cooper said: “It’s bad news, but I’m not surprised.

“A lot of people are struggling in Burnley as a result of government cuts.

“The tax credit cuts in April will affect 10,100 children in Burnley, and it’s really sad that we have a government that doesn’t appreciate this.

“The majority of these families have parents who are working and I continually come across people who are struggling.”

Kate Hollern, elected as MP for Blackburn with Darwen in May, said: “It’s sad and there have got to be serious concerns to some of the planned changes, in particular Universal Credit.

“It’s going to add further to deprivation and make matters much worse.”

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said: “Clearly this is disappointing. However, there are lots of reasons for us to be optimistic in Pendle and East Lancashire.

“We are seeing unemployment down and employment levels up, and there is a lot of private sector investment.”