The north of England is diverse, vibrant and full of potential. But northerners, and people across the country, are experiencing the unacceptable consequences of our deep and widening divides within and between regions, caused by our country's unusual centralised system of governance. Here is a brief snapshot of the North in numbers (sources are available here).
A SNAPSHOT OF THE REGION
£368 B
The value of the northern economy - bigger than Scotland and Wales combined
1.3 M
Northern jobs paid below the real living wage
3.5 M
The number of northern adults and children trapped in poverty - the majority live in in-work households
20%
The proportion of northern land covered by a national park
51%
The proportion of England's renewable energy that is generated in the North
46,000
The number of jobs that could be created through the North's net zero transition by 2030
£86 B
The transport investment the North would have seen if it had received the same per person investment as the capital over the decade
-5%
In 2021 the North had 5% fewer public sector workers than in 2010. Over the same period public sector employment in London and the greater South East increased by 4%
1 of 6
Northern metro mayors who are women
33%
The size of the cut to High Needs Block support paid to northern children with special educational needs since 13/14 - across England the cut was 29%
61
Healthy life expectancy in the North - below the state pension age
158
The number of MPs representing northern constituencies - 89 Labour, 67 Conservative, 1 Liberal Democrat and 1 Speaker
2x
The early years gap between children from poorer and wealthier homes is almost twice as large in the North as in London
3 in 5
Northerners represented by a mayoral combined authority
50%
Northerners who believe that, in general, more decisions should be made by devolved and local governments
96p
The amount from every £1 paid in tax in that is taken by Whitehall
£413
The per person drop in annual council service spending over Westminster's austerity decade
£32
The amount that the levelling up fund's 2021 allocations equate to per person in the North