COASTAL communities in the area are among the country's worst for poor health and unemployment, according to a new report into deprivation.

A comparison of earnings, employment, health and education data from across all local authority areas, including Barrow, South Lakeland and Copeland, was carried out by The Social Market Foundation.

The think-tank named Barrow as the 13th worst area in the UK for health, with 8.4 per cent of the town's population classed as in "bad or very bad health".

When ranked according to coastal areas only, Barrow was 10th behind the likes of Sunderland and Blackpool.

Copeland was ranked seventh in the country, and third among coastal areas for its rates of unemployment - 9.6 per cent of 16-64 year olds are without a job.

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: "This report confirms what we all know, coastal towns like Barrow need far more support from the government if we are to keep up with the levels of economic growth seen in Britain's busiest cities."

In a bid to boost employment and encourage tourism, the government has pledged to give £40m to coastal areas but researchers warned some communities were being "overlooked" by policymakers preoccupied with more affluent towns.

Mr Woodcock was also sceptical of the funding, calling the amount a "drop in the ocean".

He said Westminster needs to show "more ambition and commitment" to help affected areas "achieve their potential."

However, not all of the rankings were negative for the area, with great improvements seen in productivity growth across all three boroughs.

Barrow has seen the most productive growth of all coastal communities studied. It saw a growth of 127.3 per cent from 1997-2015, with Copeland second at 126 per cent.

South Lakeland came in at number eight, growing 94.3 per cent - the national average being 78.1.

Mr Woodcock added: "It is brilliant that Barrow has seen the most productivity growth of any coastal town since 1997, but we could be doing so much more with investment in transport infrastructure and skills."

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