Bradford's textile industry has been in
decline for many years and the city has suffered from de-industrialisation.
Some areas of Bradford are among the worst levels of social deprivation in the
UK, with widespread pockets of exclusion, and rates of unemployment in some
wards exceeding 25%., though other areas of Bradford are among the least
deprived in the UK. The economy is worth around 8.3 billion, making Bradford's
economy a major powerhouse in the region and is forecast to grow to more than 9
billion by 2016, contributing around 8.4% of the region's output, and making
the district the third
