The nature of local area social exclusion in England and the role of the labour market

The creation of the Social Exclusion Unit by the present government in 1997 is just one example of the increased desire by both academics and policy-m akers to understand more about the factors that lead to individuals and com munities becoming excluded from mainstream society. Of the many aspects of social exclusion which have featured in recent debate, this article focuses on two. The first is to describe the nature and the extent of social exclu sion in the areas in which it is concentrated in the United Kingdom. The se cond is to examine the role that labour-market factors play in creating, re ducing, or sustaining geographical concentrations of social exclusion. The article draws upon the results of social surveys conducted in deprived area s and discusses the arguments for tackling local concentrations of social e xclusion through area-based initiatives.