'It's bad - but there are worse areas': Walsall locals react to shocking figures showing town is 'most deprived' in the UK

Walsall really the most deprived place in the country. We talk to residents after a study says it is." alignment="center" isInline="False">Residents, shoppers and visitors in Walsall town centre have had their say at shocking new figures revealing that the town is the most deprived in the UK. 

Based on 12 categories, the new figures, released by the Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index 2025, said that the town has struggled more than anywhere else for growth in the past year.

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The figures also revealed that the town has the second least healthy high street and the third worst job market in the country.

Speaking to residents of the town, many said that the figures 'make sense', adding that the town was better 'years ago'; however, many have also said that while Walsall 'has gone downhill', there are 'plenty worse areas' in their opinions.

Rebecca Pearce and Martin Hayes, who both work in the town, said: "I think it is bad here.

"It used to be so good in the town. The market stretched up the high street, the illuminations, but no one really wants to come here now. We don't really know what the solution is."

Two students, Cameron Hanrahan, aged 17, and James Townsend, aged 18, from Bloxwich, both said that they would rather go to a neighbouring town rather than Walsall, saying that they feel almost 'jealous' of other regions.

They said: "It's just not that nice here. We don't really have a lot of opportunities for people here.

"You see lots of shops open and close, and some more open and close. You walk down the high street, and everyone just looks miserable here.

"You look at places like 20 minutes away, like Lichfield, and they have so much more to do. It's miserable."

Another Walsall resident, Alexandra Whitelaw, said that the answer actually lies outside of the town centre, and instead would be solved by improving youth services and job prospects in the region.

She said: "I think it has gotten worse around here. We need education, and we need housing. The reason that kids are out here loitering and causing trouble is that they're bored and they have no hope.

"What are they going to do? They are going to hang around the town centre. The poorer an area, the more likely it is to be crime-ridden.

"Walsall used to be a place of care and safety; people knew to come here if they needed to get help. People don't have money around here, they aren't coming to the town to shop, they are just coming here to hand out and do something."