Pension Credit measures the proportion of older adults receiving financial support to bring their income up to a minimum living standard.It is one of the clearest indicators of whether older residents are ageing with dignity — or struggling silently on the margins of the economy.

Distance to sports and leisure facilities captures how easily residents can reach spaces that support physical activity and social connection, such as gyms, swimming pools, sports halls, recreation centres, and community leisure hubs. While it may appear to be a simple measure of geography, it is a powerful indicator of how accessible a community’s pathways to health and wellbeing truly are. Shorter distances reduce barriers to participation, while longer distances often tran

Key Stage 2 (KS2) attainment measures how well children perform in reading, writing, and maths by the end of primary school (age 11).It is one of the clearest indicators of educational quality, early opportunity, and long-term life chances. KS2 doesn’t just reflect academic ability — it reflects the environments where children grow, learn, and build confidence.

Early years development refers to the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical skills children build from birth to age five — the foundations of their entire life trajectory. At first glance, it can seem like a soft, intangible measure. But in reality, it is one of the strongest predictors of a community’s long-term wellbeing, shaping future education outcomes, income, resilience, and overall quality of life.

Excess Weight in Adults measures the proportion of adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher — with obesity defined as a BMI of 30 or above. It’s more than a health statistic; it’s one of the most urgent social and economic challenges of our time. This indicator reflects not only personal lifestyle choices but also structural conditions — access to healthy food, safe public spaces, transport systems, and the cost of living. In that sense, excess weight is both

Male Life Expectancy measures the average number of years a man can expect to live, based on current mortality patterns in a given area. It’s one of the clearest and most telling indicators of local inequality — a reflection not only of health systems, but of the environments, jobs, and lifestyles that shape everyday life.

Childhood weight reflects more than personal habits. It is shaped by the environments children grow up in — from access to nutritious food and safe play areas to the day-to-day pressures their families experience.

The death rate doesn’t just tell us how healthy a place is — it tells us how equal it is.When the rate is higher than average, it often reflects a combination of factors: poverty, limited access to healthcare, unsafe housing, poor air quality, or even social isolation.