EAST Lancashire boroughs have been ranked in order of the life chances they offer to disadvantaged people.

The Social Mobility Commission has published their latest State of the Nation Report today, highlighting parts of the country where the life chances of young people are severely limited.

Of East Lancashire's six boroughs, Burnley was said to be the most deprived, ranking 234th out of 324 local authorities in England on the social mobility index.

Blackburn is second on the list in 161st, followed by Pendle in 144th, Rossendale in 115th and Hyndburn in 97th.

In 90th place, Ribble Valley is the most socially mobile area in East Lancashire.

The report ranks local authorities in England across a range of 16 social mobility indicators for 'every major life stage', from early years through to working lives.

Overall, it shows that East Lancashire is faring better than other parts of the country, with all six boroughs ranked as ‘social mobility hotspots’ when it comes to offering good education, employment opportunities and affordable housing to their most disadvantaged residents.

Cllr Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley Council, called for more investment from central government to address social mobility problems.

He said: “I’m happy that the report has identified that geography and where you live can affect social mobility.

“Towns like Burnley are handicapped in terms of social mobility in comparison to bigger cities.

“Local authorities have suffered significant funding cuts and I’d encourage the government to invest to close the gap between towns like Burnley and the bigger cities.”

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said he was ‘surprised’ by the reports findings but said there was ‘more to be done’.

He said: “These are better than expected results and it shows the good work being done by local councils and the voluntary sector is paying off.

“There does remain more to be done.

“I would urge the government to look at allocating funds to extend the M65 and back extending the rail link between Colne and Skipton.

“This would help improve connectivity which is poor in the area in comparison to other areas of the country.”

Nationally, the report found a ‘stark social mobility postcode lottery’ ,where the chances of someone from a disadvantaged background succeeding in life are bound to where they live.

The report found that while London is pulling away when it comes to social rural, coastal and former industrial areas are being left further behind.

The Social Mobility Commission chairman, Alan Milburn, said the country seems to be in the grip of a ‘self-reinforcing spiral of ever-growing division.’

He said: “That takes a spatial form, not just a social one.

“There is a stark social mobility lottery in Britain today.

“London and its hinterland are increasingly looking like a different country from the rest of Britain.

“It is moving ahead, as are many of our country’s great cities.

“But too many rural and coastal areas and the towns of Britain’s old industrial heartlands are being left behind economically and hollowed out socially.

“Tinkering around the edges will not do the trick.

“The analysis in this report substantiates the sense of political alienation and social resentment that so many parts of Britain feel.

“A new level of effort is needed to tackle the phenomenon of left-behind Britain.”