To bring together Government policy in this area the Social Exclusion Unit was set up by the Prime Minister in 1997.

It works on issues that affect a range of Government departments.
In 2001 the Social Exclusion Unit published a key report which acknowledged that many neighbourhoods had declined because of economic change and the phasing out of old industries.

• In all the poorest neighbourhoods to have common goals of lower worklessness and crime, and better health, skills, housing and physical environment.
  
• To narrow the gap on these measures between the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country.

The report is committed to ‘joining up and empowering local communities’ by better co-ordination of each neighbourhood.

Since May 2002, the SEU has been located within the new Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and reports to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Prime Minister. This new department brings the SEU together with some of those who are delivering aspects of the Government's strategy to achieve social justice and quality of life for everyone - such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit and the Homelessness Directorate.

The work of the Social Exclusion Unit forms part of the Government's strategic approach to tackling social exclusion including all Whitehall departments and many external partners. It looks for solutions based on:

• preventing social exclusion;
• making sure mainstream services deliver for everyone; and
• reintegrating people who have fallen through the net.

Click here to visit the Social Exclusion Unit web site.