POORER areas across England are missing out because government funding for public services is often below the amount required to meet basic needs, a damning report published today charges.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the use of old data by Tory ministers to distribute funding has led to significant gaps between the share some areas receive and the amount they should be given based on current demand.

Analysis of the £245 billion available in 2022-23 shows the highest levels of funding per capita were allocated to inner-London boroughs and relatively deprived areas across the north, including Greater Manchester, Liverpool and Teesside.