Rebalancing Local Economies: Widening economic opportunities for people in deprived communities
Article
The report shows 57 per cent of the poorest neighbourhoods in the North of England had above-average improvement to employment prior to the recession.
The research found that targeted investment and sustained economic growth, as well as active involvement by local people and collaboration with agencies in the wider area, can improve prospects for the North's most deprived communities.
The report also found that while economic growth, investment and increasing people's ability to work are vital, if deprived neighbourhoods are to improve they need to develop a positive community outlook and a sense of aspiration.
The study compared the experience of 'matched pairs' of deprived neighbourhoods in Liverpool, Leeds and Middlesbrough and analysed why some areas improved their prospects over the past decade while others lagged. Researchers found that:
- early intervention to improve housing and tackle local 'crime and grime' issues encourage people with the best skills and potential to stay in the neighbourhood
- more innovation and local flexibility in welfare-to-work programmes is key to connecting unemployed people in neighbourhoods to job opportunities in the wider economy
- a positive and outward-looking neighbourhood spirit fosters confidence, leadership and aspiration and improves local economic prospects.
Related items
Forging ahead: Deciding the direction of IPPR's Migration Policy Unit
In our last blog post for the Migration Policy Unit we shared our new way of working as we endeavour to be inclusive and transparent in our policymaking process. In this blog we set out what our first and flagship project is for the policy…Who gets a good deal? Revealing public attitudes to transport in Great Britain
Transport isn’t working. That’s the message from the British public. This is especially true if you’re on a low income, disabled or living in the countryside. The cost of living crisis has exposed the shortcomings of our transport system,…Bhargav Srinivasa Desikan on TalkTV discussing AI
IPPR's Bhargav Srinivasa Desikan on TalkTV discussing his new report on the impact of generative AI on the UK labour market.