- Home
- Publications
- Regional Economic Disparities And Development In The UK
Regional Economic Disparities and Development in the UK



Downloads
DP010-4.pdfAuthors
Related Themes
Productivity, Trade, and Regional EconomiesReport number
10
This short paper explores the evolution of regional economic disparities in the UK from the 1960s until now. While there have always been economic disparities, more than two thirds of places now are less productive than the national average. Regional differences are discussed in terms of incomes and labour productivity, and I highlight the central role of agglomeration economies. Policymakers should acknowledge that regional disparities are by definition relative, rendering ‘regional development’ meaningless without a politically-agreed benchmark. Finally, as goods and services are increasingly produced and delivered digitally, the role of digital infrastructure will play an increasing role in addressing regional disparities.
Related Blog Posts


Regenerating the UK Regions – Insights from New Economic Geography
Arnab Bhattacharjee
Adrian Pabst
6 min read

What Next for UK Industrial Policy and Productivity?
Konstantinos Myrodias
Adrian Pabst
4 min read

Related Projects
Related News
Related Publications
Econometric Analysis of the Determinants of Bank Profitability in Three Major African Counties: Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa
30 Mar 2022
Discussion Papers
Related events

Productivity Commission Evidence Session: What and How Can Productivity Be Improved?

Productivity Commission Evidence Session on International Best Practice

Productivity after Covid-19
Workshop on Productivity and Structural Change

2021 Prais Lecture: State Capacity and Economic Growth: Cautionary Tales
Sizing the Productivity Problem: an evidence session from the Productivity Commission

