Brighton and Hove has appeared in a list of the most deprived areas in England.

The Government's Indices of Deprivation 2004 list puts the city at No.43 on the unemployment scale, just below Ealing and Rochdale.

It is an improvement on a similar survey in 2000 in which the city appeared at No.35.

It also comes in at No.50 on the low-income scale, under Oldham and Gateshead.

Hastings fares even worse, appearing at No.37 in the overall list of most needy areas, taking into account income, employment and the extent of deprivation.

Brighton and Hove regeneration councillor Don Turner said: "We do have problems within the city and we have some areas which are seriously deprived, in particular east Brighton.

"It may come as a surprise to some people because in the past few years we have seen an enormous amount of regeneration.

"The city is thriving but some people are being left behind and this is why we still appear on this type of list.

"We know we have a low-wage economy in Brighton and Hove, which is why in the past few years we have done an enormous amount of work trying to broaden our economy base.

"We now have investors waiting to move into the city.

"In the long term this will drive up wages but this sort of thing takes time."

East Brighton has been designated as one of England's most needy areas.

The eb4u company was set up after the Government announced in April 2000 the area was eligible for grants of up to £47.2 million to help regeneration over a ten-year period.

The Bates Estate, Higher Bevendean, Manor Farm, Moulsecoomb, Saunders Park and Whitehawk were officially recognised as having unacceptable levels of social deprivation.

More than £40 million has been given by the Government in grants to relieve poverty and deprivation over the last six years in the city as a whole.