A footpath in the middle of a patch of grass in a park. In the distance are some high-rise buildings and trees.

Data

Using the Urban Health Index to identify areas for place-based interventions

The Urban Health Index can help us understand social and environmental factors shaping people’s health.

Samantha Flint
Samantha Flint
On Purpose Associate

We launched the updated version of the Urban Health Index (UHI) in July 2025. The UHI is a tool that lets people visualise the social and environmental determinants of health in the south London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark by ward.

It collates data from 54 indicators to create an overall score for each ward out of 100, where a score closer to 100 shows a ward has more opportunities for residents to live healthier lives.

The UHI highlights just how varied conditions are within the two boroughs. Even neighbouring wards can face very different challenges; from housing security and safety to air quality and job opportunities. By making these differences visible, the UHI provides valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand and respond to local needs.

We’ve designed the tool to be straightforward and accessible, with clear dashboards that make it easy to spot patterns, compare wards, and explore specific issues. For community organisations, funders, and councils, this evidence can guide planning, strengthen advocacy and make the case for targeted investments.

Here are some of the insights users can explore from the UHI’s three focus areas:

Basic Human Needs: overcrowded housing

The Basic Human Needs dimension includes indicators that assess whether residents are able to meet the essential requirements for survival and wellbeing. These include access to adequate nutrition, medical care, clean water, sanitation, safe and secure housing, and personal safety.

Variations in the scores across wards reveal stark contrasts in people’s living conditions. For example, you are four times more likely to live in an overcrowded home in Old Kent Road than in Dulwich Village – and in turn be more likely to experience poor mental health such as anxiety and depression.

Improving the circumstances of people’s housing and identifying opportunities to create more affordable housing options are vital for promoting wellbeing and good health.

The title reads: Foundations of wellbeing The text reads: Access to information and communication Access to basic knowledge Environmental quality Health and wellness A map of the wards of Lambeth and Southwark, depicting the top 20%, middle 60%, and bottom 20% for NO2 concentration.

Foundations of Wellbeing: air pollution

The Foundations of Wellbeing dimension lets users explore the ways that people are able to lead healthy and fulfilling lives and have access to knowledge, education and healthy environments.

Patterns across the boroughs reveal significant differences in people’s environments. Air pollution levels are concentrated in the north of the boroughs, with pollution levels in the worst scoring ward – Borough & Bankside – exceeding those in Gipsy Hill by more than 50%.

The title reads: Foundations of wellbeing The text reads: Access to information and communication Access to basic knowledge Environmental quality Health and wellness A map of the wards of Lambeth and Southwark, depicting the top 20%, middle 60%, and bottom 20% for NO2 concentration.

Opportunity: Universal Credit in employment

The Opportunity dimension assesses whether individuals have the freedom and capacity to make choices that shape their own lives. It assesses personal rights, freedom and economic opportunities.

Many factors impact people’s ability to pursue further opportunities, and this differs between the boroughs. Southwark contains seven of the ten lowest performing wards across the two boroughs for in-work Universal Credit claimants – highlighting challenges related to low wages and job insecurity.

The title reads: Opportunity The text reads: Personal freedom and choices Access to advanced education Personal rights Inclusiveness A map of the wards of Lambeth and Southwark, depicting the top 20%, middle 60%, and bottom 20% for Universal credit in employment (% of population).

Using the Urban Health Index

In cities, social, economic and environmental factors often combine to create barriers to good health. To make lasting change, we need to understand local conditions and the experiences of people who live there.

That’s why targeted, place-based interventions matter. The UHI is a powerful tool to support this work.

Explore the tool, see how individual wards perform, and use the evidence to shape your projects or advocacy bids for funding.

Register your interest

Complete this sign-up form if you’d like to attend a session to learn more about using the UHI to improve health in Lambeth and Southwark.

Get in touch

To find out more about how we’re using data to shape our work, get in touch with our Data, Evaluation and Learning team .

data.team@urbanhealth.org.uk

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