FOUR East Lancashire borough’s are in the 21 most deprived in England and have got poorer in the last four years, new government figures reveal.

The English Indices of Deprivation 2019 study measures the levels of poverty in 32,844 neighbourhoods – smaller than council wards – and creates an average score.

The report puts Burnley eighth (from ninth in 2015), Blackburn with Darwen ninth (from 12th) and Pendle 14th (from 18th) in the national deprivation rankings.

Hyndburn goes from 22nd to 21st in the table of 317 council areas, produced every four years.

Cllr Mark Townsend, leader of Burnley’s opposition Labour group, which this week successfully persuaded the borough’s Full Council to support a reduction in Council Tax bills for 6,800 low-income working age households, said: “These latest government figures show how important this change is.”

Cllr Mohammed Khan, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “We have experienced difficult times in the borough since 2010.

“However, as a council, we are absolutely determined to help people enjoy a better quality of life and the chance to raise their aspirations.”

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: “The government needs to wake up and realise the damage the last nine years of cuts have had on communities. They have meant councils are unable to help the most deprived.”