The English Indices of Deprivation 2015 (also known as the Index of Multiple Deprivation, or IMD) is a nationally recognised measure of deprivation at 'lower super output area' (LSOA) level. LSOAs are defined by the Office for National Statistics as containing between 1,000 and 3,000 people, and between 400 to 1,200 households. 

As well as the overall IMD 2015, there are several indicators of deprivation that are measured through seven broad domains:

• Income
• Employment
• Education, skills and training
• Health deprivation and disability
• Crime
• Barriers to housing and services
• Living environment

The IMD can be further analysed with sub-domains and supplementary indices.

The overall IMD 2015 combines all seven broad domains, according to the technical report published by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Each domain has been weighted, and this should be kept in mind when interpreting data for Shropshire (for example, the income deprivation domain contributes more to the overall IMD than the living environment deprivation domain):

• Income = 22.5%
• Employment = 22.5%
• Health deprivation and disability = 13.5%
• Education, skills and training = 13.5%
• Crime = 9.3%
• Barriers to housing and services = 9.3%
• Living environment = 9.3%

For each domain, all of the 32,844 LSOAs in England have been given a national ranking (with 1 being the most deprived LSOA). Based on these rankings, the LSOAs have been divided into deciles (with decile 1 containing the 10% most deprived LSOAs in England).

An additional set of tables have been prepared summarising IMD 2015 information for the 30 most deprived LSOAs in Shropshire (overall/domains/sub-domains/supplementary indices). 

• IMD 2015 information is presented in deciles (1 to 10, where 1 = 10% most deprived).
• The IMD 2015 uses the LSOA boundaries from the most recent 2011 census

The IMD 2015 updates the information from IMD 2010. While for the most part IMD 2015 has kept the same methodology and domains as in IMD 2010, there have been some changes which are explained in The English Indices of Deprivation 2015 Technical Report (Smith et al., 2015, p. 70).