The dimensions of deprivation used to classify households are indicators based on four selected household characteristics. A household is deprived in a dimension if they meet one or more of the following conditions:

1. employment: where any member of a household, who is not a full-time student, is either unemployed or long-term sick,
2. education: no person in the household has at least level 2 education (see highest level of qualification), and no person aged 16-18 is a full-time student,
3. health and disability: any person in the household has general health that is ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’ or has a long term health problem, and
4. housing: the household's accommodation is either overcrowded, with an occupancy rating -1 or less, or is in a shared dwelling, or has no central heating.

A household is classified as being deprived in none, or one to four of these dimensions in any combination.