Key findings
Through our analysis, at a regional level, four broad themes emerge:
Scotland
Top priorities for:
Businesses
People
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Improve digital connectivity
#2
Invest in providing high-quality skills training
Provide better quality housing
#3
Improve public transport connectivity
#4
Places where businesses and communities have similar priorities which match those found in the data.
A convergence of views
Places where one group prioritised more economic goals and another the more social ones.
An economic and social split
Places where the views of businesses, communities and government all differ.
A divergence of views
Places where there was a difference between the popular opinion (ie, the views of businesses and the communities) and the technical data used by government.
Technical data different from popular opinion
Discover the top priorities for people and business in your area
Discover the top priorities for people and business in your area
Example: Northwest
In the Northwest health, wellbeing and crime ranked highly for businesses and communities. National statistics highlighted these concerns, showing above average rate of diseases, above average anxiety scores and higher levels of crime.
Views of people and business
Take a look at the top priorities for businesses and people below, or use our interactive map to dive deeper into your area.
Improve digital connectivity
#1
Improve people's wellbeing
#2
Invest in providing high-quality skills training
Provide better quality housing
#3
Improve public transport connectivity
#4
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Support investment R&D
#5
Improve people's health
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Improved public transport
#5
Nationally
North West
Improve people's health
#1
Improve digital connectivity
#2
Give more power to local politicians
Support investment in R&D
#3
Improve public transport connectivity
#4
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Reduce crime
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Improved public transport
#5
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Greater Devolution
#5
Yorkshire & North East
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Improve digital connectivity
Provide better quality housing
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
#3
#4
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Greater Devolution
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
Example: East Midlands
In the East Midlands business priorities focused on jobs, transport connectivity and housing, with residents prioritising crime and anti-social behaviour, mental health and wellbeing and increasing wages. The national statistics reflected a mix of economic and social priorities.
Example: Southwest
In the Southwest, businesses prioritised investment in school education, better housing and improvements to digital connectivity. Local residents prioritised improving job opportunities, improving public transport and reducing levels of crime and anti-social behaviour - with government data often reflecting a different set of priorities.
Example: East of England
In the East of England health and wellbeing and crime were the top priorities for the region. This contrasted with the data that showed that a range of issues such as cancer diagnoses, life satisfaction, anxiety and crime were all below the national average.
Go back to our key findings
Sources of data
This analysis draws on three sources of data:
The views of business
Captured through Grant Thornton’s Business Outlook Tracker, a survey of over 600 mid-market business leaders across the UK.
The views of communities
Draws on Ipsos Mori’s Levelling Up Index
This Index has been devised to track the public’s perception of the Government’s 12 Levelling Up missions. The data is based on a representative UK sample of 4,162 adults aged 16+.
The view of Government
Draws on the Levelling Up Indicators that the government identified as part of how they would measure progress. Through this process the government identified a number of national statistics that they would analyse for each Levelling Up mission.
Sources of data
Grant Thornton sourced this data using the identified sources at a local authority level. In some instances, where a particular indicator was not available at a local authority level we identified a suitable proxy measure. In all instances these proxy measures were still nationally recognised statistics.
1.
2.
3.
Wales
Improve digital connectivity
#1
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
Increasing wages
#1
Improving job opportunities
#2
#3
Improved public tansport
#4
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
Better access to high-quality skills training
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Provide better quality housing
Support the creation of better paid jobs
Give more power to local politicians
Improve people's pride in their place
West Midlands
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improved public tansport
#4
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
Improving job opportunities
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Support the creation of better paid jobs
Reduce crime
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
#3
#5
Improve people's pride in their place
Support investment in R&D
#4
Improve digital connectivity
East of England
#1
Improve people's wellbeing
#2
#3
Improve people's health
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
#2
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Increasing wages
Improved public transport
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
Give more power to local politicians
Reduce crime
East Midlands
#1
Support the creation of better paid jobs
Improve public transport connectivity
#2
#3
Provide better quality housing
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#1
#2
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#3
Increasing wages
#4
Greater Devolution
#5
Improving job opportunities
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Improve digital connectivity
#4
Reduce crime
#5
Invest in school education
Improve people's pride in their place
Improve people's health
South West
Invest in school education
#1
Provide better quality housing
#2
Improve digital connectivity
#3
Improve people's pride in their place
#4
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#1
#2
Improving job opportunities
Increasing wages
#3
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#4
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
#5
Give more power to local politicians
Improve people's wellbeing
Improving public transport
South East
Support investment in R&D
#1
Support the creation of better paid jobs
#2
Improve digital connectivity
#3
#4
Improve people's pride in their place
Give more power to local politicians
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Improving job opportunities
#2
Improving public transport
#3
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#4
Increasing wages
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Greater London
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
#1
Provide better quality housing
#2
Support investment in R&D
#3
#4
Improve people's pride in their place
#1
Improving job opportunities
#2
#3
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#4
Increasing wages
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Improve people's health
Invest in school education
Improve public transport connectivity
Greater Devolution
Go back to our key findings
Improve digital connectivity
#1
Improve people's wellbeing
#2
Provide better quality housing
#3
Improve public transport connectivity
#4
Support investment R&D
Invest in providing high-quality skills training
Improve people's health
#5
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Improved public transport
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Nationally
Scotland
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Improve digital connectivity
#2
Invest in providing high-quality skills training
Provide better quality housing
#3
Improve public transport connectivity
#4
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#1
#2
Improving job opportunities
Increasing wages
#3
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#4
Greater Devolution
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Yorkshire & North East
Improve digital connectivity
#1
Provide better quality housing
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
#3
#4
Improve people's wellbeing
Increasing wages
#1
Improving job opportunities
#2
#3
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#4
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
Greater Devolution
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
North West
Improve people's health
#1
Improve digital connectivity
Reduce crime
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
#3
#4
Give more power to local politicians
Support investment in R&D
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Improved public transport
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Wales
Improve digital connectivity
Provide better quality housing
Support the creation of better paid jobs
Give more power to local politicians
#1
#2
Improve public transport connectivity
Improve people's pride in their place
Improving job opportunities
#1
#2
Increasing wages
#3
Improved public tansport
#4
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
Better access to high-quality skills training
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
West Midlands
#1
Support investment in R&D
Support the creation of better paid jobs
#2
#3
Improve people's wellbeing
#4
Improve digital connectivity
#5
Improve public transport connectivity
Improve people's pride in their place
Reduce crime
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#1
#2
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Increasing wages
Improved public tansport
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
East Midlands
#1
Support the creation of better paid jobs
Improve public transport connectivity
#2
#3
Provide better quality housing
Improve digital connectivity
#4
Reduce crime
Invest in school education
Improve people's pride in their place
Improve people's health
#5
#1
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#2
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#3
Increasing wages
#4
Improving job opportunities
#5
Greater Devolution
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
East of England
#1
Improve people's wellbeing
Improve people's health
#2
#3
Reduce crime
Give more power to local politicians
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#1
#2
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#3
Increasing wages
#4
Improved public transport
#5
Improving job opportunities
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
South West
Invest in school education
#1
Provide better quality housing
#2
Improve digital connectivity
#3
#4
Improve people's pride in their place
#5
Give more power to local politicians
Improve people's wellbeing
#1
Improving job opportunities
#2
Improving public transport
#3
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#4
Increasing wages
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
South East
#1
Support investment in R&D
Improve people's health
Support the creation of better paid jobs
#2
Give more power to local politicians
Invest in school education
#3
#4
Improve people's pride in their place
Improve people's wellbeing
Improve digital connectivity
#1
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#2
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#3
Improving job opportunities
#4
Increasing wages
Improving public transport
#5
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Greater London
Invest in the provision of high-quality skills training
#1
#2
Improve people's pride in their place
Support investment in R&D
Provide better quality housing
#3
#4
Improve public transport connectivity
#1
Reducing the level of crime and anti-social behaviour
#2
Improving people's mental health and wellbeing
#3
Increasing wages
#4
Improving job opportunities
#5
Greater Devolution
People
Businesses
Top priorities for:
Views of people and business
Take a look at the top priorities for businesses and people below, or use our interactive map to dive deeper into your area.
Sources of data
Sources of data
This analysis draws on three sources of data:
The views of business
Captured through Grant Thornton’s Business Outlook Tracker, a survey of over 600 mid-market business leaders across the UK.
The views of communities
Draws on Ipsos Mori’s Levelling Up Index
This Index has been devised to track the public’s perception of the Government’s 12 Levelling Up missions. The data is based on a representative UK sample of 4,162 adults aged 16+.
The view of Government
Draws on the Levelling Up Indicators that the government identified as part of how they would measure progress. Through this process the government identified a number of national statistics that they would analyse for each Levelling Up mission.
1.
2.
3.
Grant Thornton sourced this data using the identified sources at a local authority level. In some instances, where a particular indicator was not available at a local authority level we identified a suitable proxy measure. In all instances these proxy measures were still nationally recognised statistics.