Innovation and growth

Published: 18 December 2025
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Data on conditions to help promote innovation and economic growth in UK local authorities, measured by each area’s productivity level, ‘new economy’ jobs, and economically-active residents with postgraduate qualifications.

Visualisation

‘Index of innovation and growth’, by local authority (UK)

205 local authority areas in the UK are put into 7 groups – from ‘most favourable’ to ‘least favourable’ conditions – based on their ‘index of innovation and growth’ composite scores. The categories are not equally sized – the middle category is larger because most local authorities are very near the average.

Least
Favourable
Unfavourable
Middle
Group
Favourable
Most
Favourable
Least
Favourable
Unfavourable
Lower
Middling
Middling
Upper
Middling
Favourable
Most
Favourable

Data

‘Index of innovation and growth’, by local authority (UK)
Region 2018 to 2024 2012 to 2017 2006 to 2011 2000 to 2005
Index of 'innovation and growth' ('Z-scores') Group Index of 'innovation and growth' ('Z-scores') Group Index of 'innovation and growth' ('Z-scores') Group Index of 'innovation and growth' ('Z-scores') Group
Aberdeen City 1.11 Favourable 1.12 Favourable 1.44 Favourable 1.24 Favourable
Aberdeenshire -0.04 Middling 0.17 Middling 0.27 Middling 0.07 Middling
Angus -0.40 Middling -0.70 Lower Middling -0.46 Middling -0.62 Lower Middling
Argyll and Bute Islands -0.95 Lower Middling 0.31 Middling -0.42 Middling -0.72 Lower Middling
Barking and Dagenham -0.69 Lower Middling -0.78 Lower Middling -0.60 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling
Barnet 1.38 Favourable 1.41 Favourable 1.46 Favourable 1.10 Favourable
Barnsley -1.10 Unfavourable -1.07 Unfavourable -1.02 Unfavourable -1.17 Unfavourable
Bath and North East Somerset 0.87 Upper Middling 0.79 Upper Middling 0.56 Upper Middling 1.08 Favourable
Bedford -0.18 Middling 0.41 Middling 0.26 Middling 0.80 Upper Middling
Bexley 0.16 Middling -0.14 Middling -0.36 Middling -0.38 Middling
Birmingham 0.11 Middling -0.43 Middling -0.13 Middling -0.06 Middling
Blackburn with Darwen -1.12 Unfavourable -0.76 Lower Middling -0.67 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling
Blackpool -0.92 Lower Middling -0.85 Lower Middling -0.96 Lower Middling -0.85 Lower Middling
Blaenau Gwent -1.23 Unfavourable -1.52 Least Favourable -1.17 Unfavourable -1.17 Unfavourable
Bolton -0.82 Lower Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.34 Middling -0.81 Lower Middling
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole -0.13 Middling 0.04 Middling -0.32 Middling -0.43 Middling
Bracknell Forest 0.33 Middling 0.94 Upper Middling 0.92 Upper Middling 0.73 Upper Middling
Bradford -0.42 Middling -0.62 Lower Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.50 Lower Middling
Brent 0.76 Upper Middling 0.54 Upper Middling 0.46 Middling 0.46 Middling
Bridgend -0.35 Middling -0.38 Middling -0.29 Middling -0.59 Lower Middling
Brighton and Hove 1.09 Favourable 1.38 Favourable 1.04 Favourable 1.52 Most Favourable
Bristol, City of 1.50 Favourable 1.13 Favourable 1.06 Favourable 1.23 Favourable
Bromley 0.98 Upper Middling 1.04 Favourable 0.40 Middling 0.65 Upper Middling
Buckinghamshire 0.20 Middling 0.59 Upper Middling 0.42 Middling 0.72 Upper Middling
Bury -0.14 Middling 0.11 Middling -0.50 Lower Middling -0.35 Middling
Caerphilly -0.69 Lower Middling -0.58 Lower Middling -0.92 Lower Middling -0.67 Lower Middling
Calderdale -0.40 Middling 0.06 Middling -0.10 Middling -0.27 Middling
Cambridgeshire CC 0.82 Upper Middling 1.51 Most Favourable 1.62 Most Favourable 1.03 Favourable
Camden and City of London 5.83 Most Favourable 6.45 Most Favourable 6.79 Most Favourable 6.84 Most Favourable
Cardiff 0.85 Upper Middling 1.03 Favourable 1.06 Favourable 1.45 Favourable
Carmarthenshire -0.65 Lower Middling -0.70 Lower Middling -0.21 Middling -0.26 Middling
Central Bedfordshire 0.19 Middling 0.10 Middling 0.10 Middling -0.07 Middling
Ceredigion 0.04 Middling -0.51 Lower Middling 0.08 Middling 0.30 Middling
Cheshire East 0.22 Middling 0.66 Upper Middling 0.79 Upper Middling 0.73 Upper Middling
Cheshire West and Chester 1.20 Favourable 0.61 Upper Middling 0.51 Upper Middling 0.51 Upper Middling
City of Edinburgh 1.70 Most Favourable 2.09 Most Favourable 1.46 Favourable 1.90 Most Favourable
Clackmannanshire -0.56 Lower Middling -0.26 Middling -0.39 Middling -0.34 Middling
Conwy -0.43 Middling -0.74 Lower Middling -0.70 Lower Middling -0.18 Middling
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly -0.74 Lower Middling -0.78 Lower Middling -0.87 Lower Middling -0.81 Lower Middling
Coventry 0.31 Middling -0.47 Middling 0.24 Middling 0.10 Middling
Croydon 0.62 Upper Middling 0.35 Middling 0.27 Middling 0.10 Middling
Cumbria -0.60 Lower Middling -0.48 Middling -0.56 Lower Middling -0.39 Middling
Darlington -0.71 Lower Middling -0.64 Lower Middling -0.13 Middling -0.45 Middling
Denbighshire -0.76 Lower Middling -0.69 Lower Middling -0.94 Lower Middling -0.67 Lower Middling
Derby -0.14 Middling -0.34 Middling 0.31 Middling -0.38 Middling
Derbyshire -0.51 Lower Middling -0.28 Middling -0.27 Middling -0.63 Lower Middling
Devon CC -0.31 Middling -0.15 Middling -0.28 Middling -0.20 Middling
Doncaster -1.14 Unfavourable -1.30 Unfavourable -1.01 Unfavourable -1.03 Unfavourable
Dorset -0.66 Lower Middling -0.09 Middling -0.28 Middling -0.46 Middling
Dudley -0.77 Lower Middling -0.60 Lower Middling -0.79 Lower Middling -0.69 Lower Middling
Dumfries and Galloway -0.98 Lower Middling -1.18 Unfavourable -1.14 Unfavourable -0.79 Lower Middling
Dundee City 0.33 Middling 0.07 Middling -0.26 Middling -0.41 Middling
Durham -0.66 Lower Middling -0.92 Lower Middling -0.53 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling
Ealing 0.96 Upper Middling 0.53 Upper Middling 0.84 Upper Middling 1.22 Favourable
East Ayrshire -1.13 Unfavourable -1.20 Unfavourable -1.06 Unfavourable -0.96 Lower Middling
East Dunbartonshire 0.62 Upper Middling -0.02 Middling 0.38 Middling 0.65 Upper Middling
East Lothian 0.30 Middling 0.03 Middling -0.29 Middling -0.36 Middling
East Renfrewshire 0.36 Middling 0.54 Upper Middling 0.56 Upper Middling 0.58 Upper Middling
East Riding of Yorkshire -0.56 Lower Middling -0.47 Middling -0.03 Middling -0.40 Middling
East Sussex CC -0.29 Middling -0.50 Lower Middling -0.46 Middling -0.24 Middling
Enfield 0.15 Middling 0.49 Middling 0.06 Middling 0.14 Middling
Essex -0.45 Middling -0.37 Middling -0.42 Middling -0.29 Middling
Falkirk -0.29 Middling -0.35 Middling -0.34 Middling -0.86 Lower Middling
Fife -0.20 Middling -0.08 Middling -0.24 Middling -0.26 Middling
Flintshire -0.39 Middling -0.53 Lower Middling -0.47 Middling -0.59 Lower Middling
Gateshead -0.71 Lower Middling -0.64 Lower Middling -0.48 Middling -0.54 Lower Middling
Glasgow City 0.63 Upper Middling 0.47 Middling 0.46 Middling 0.50 Upper Middling
Gloucestershire CC 0.22 Middling 0.29 Middling 0.31 Middling 0.24 Middling
Greenwich 0.71 Upper Middling 0.72 Upper Middling 0.85 Upper Middling 0.43 Middling
Gwynedd -0.39 Middling -0.42 Middling -0.52 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling
Hackney 2.07 Most Favourable 1.35 Favourable 1.15 Favourable 1.40 Favourable
Halton -0.50 Middling -0.82 Lower Middling -0.56 Lower Middling -0.61 Lower Middling
Hammersmith and Fulham 2.13 Most Favourable 1.71 Most Favourable 1.74 Most Favourable 2.06 Most Favourable
Hampshire 0.04 Middling 0.54 Upper Middling 0.30 Middling 0.43 Middling
Haringey 1.46 Favourable 1.09 Favourable 1.08 Favourable 1.50 Favourable
Harrow 0.97 Upper Middling 0.81 Upper Middling 0.96 Upper Middling 1.19 Favourable
Hartlepool -0.96 Lower Middling -1.25 Unfavourable -0.59 Lower Middling -1.03 Unfavourable
Havering -0.15 Middling -0.19 Middling -0.69 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling
Herefordshire, County of -0.50 Middling -0.45 Middling -0.56 Lower Middling -0.74 Lower Middling
Hertfordshire CC 0.47 Middling 0.61 Upper Middling 0.84 Upper Middling 0.72 Upper Middling
Highland -0.68 Lower Middling -0.65 Lower Middling -0.42 Middling -0.49 Middling
Hillingdon 0.64 Upper Middling 0.62 Upper Middling 0.21 Middling 0.46 Middling
Hounslow 1.14 Favourable 0.93 Upper Middling 1.04 Favourable 0.58 Upper Middling
Inverclyde -0.55 Lower Middling -0.44 Middling -0.58 Lower Middling -0.35 Middling
Isle of Anglesey -0.66 Lower Middling -0.36 Middling -0.40 Middling -0.07 Middling
Isle of Wight -0.65 Lower Middling -0.06 Middling -0.71 Lower Middling -1.10 Unfavourable
Islington 2.83 Most Favourable 2.64 Most Favourable 3.15 Most Favourable 2.99 Most Favourable
Kensington and Chelsea 1.49 Favourable 1.47 Favourable 1.95 Most Favourable 2.15 Most Favourable
Kent -0.28 Middling -0.28 Middling -0.26 Middling -0.25 Middling
Kingston upon Hull, City of -0.98 Lower Middling -0.84 Lower Middling -0.67 Lower Middling -0.79 Lower Middling
Kingston upon Thames 1.39 Favourable 1.22 Favourable 1.32 Favourable 1.09 Favourable
Kirklees -0.23 Middling -0.59 Lower Middling -0.42 Middling -0.45 Middling
Knowsley -0.86 Lower Middling -1.04 Unfavourable -1.03 Unfavourable -1.17 Unfavourable
Lambeth 1.89 Most Favourable 1.83 Most Favourable 1.40 Favourable 1.39 Favourable
Lancashire -0.43 Middling -0.27 Middling -0.29 Middling -0.27 Middling
Leeds 0.38 Middling 0.28 Middling 0.11 Middling 0.04 Middling
Leicester -0.21 Middling -0.60 Lower Middling -0.45 Middling -0.05 Middling
Leicestershire CC 0.01 Middling -0.03 Middling -0.13 Middling 0.07 Middling
Lewisham 1.28 Favourable 1.27 Favourable 0.70 Upper Middling 0.68 Upper Middling
Lincolnshire CC -0.83 Lower Middling -0.80 Lower Middling -0.81 Lower Middling -0.84 Lower Middling
Liverpool -0.01 Middling -0.06 Middling -0.41 Middling -0.49 Middling
Luton -0.50 Middling -0.54 Lower Middling -0.69 Lower Middling -0.46 Middling
Manchester 0.82 Upper Middling 0.61 Upper Middling 0.98 Upper Middling 0.78 Upper Middling
Medway -0.63 Lower Middling -0.64 Lower Middling -0.65 Lower Middling -0.76 Lower Middling
Merthyr Tydfil -1.06 Unfavourable -0.96 Lower Middling -0.97 Lower Middling -1.12 Unfavourable
Merton 1.16 Favourable 0.93 Upper Middling 1.48 Favourable 1.33 Favourable
Middlesbrough -0.74 Lower Middling -1.02 Unfavourable -0.77 Lower Middling -0.63 Lower Middling
Midlothian -0.12 Middling -0.59 Lower Middling -0.45 Middling -0.45 Middling
Milton Keynes 0.68 Upper Middling 0.92 Upper Middling 0.65 Upper Middling 0.67 Upper Middling
Monmouthshire -0.04 Middling 0.47 Middling 0.47 Middling 0.11 Middling
Moray -0.89 Lower Middling -0.90 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling -0.83 Lower Middling
Na h-Eileanan Siar -0.99 Lower Middling -0.29 Middling -0.67 Lower Middling -1.09 Unfavourable
Neath Port Talbot -0.82 Lower Middling -1.20 Unfavourable -0.99 Lower Middling -0.88 Lower Middling
Newcastle upon Tyne 0.29 Middling 0.49 Middling 0.33 Middling 0.47 Middling
Newham 0.31 Middling -0.21 Middling -0.17 Middling -0.45 Middling
Newport -0.37 Middling -0.34 Middling -0.26 Middling 0.12 Middling
North Ayrshire mainland -1.06 Unfavourable -1.06 Unfavourable -1.08 Unfavourable -0.83 Lower Middling
North East Lincolnshire -1.38 Unfavourable -1.38 Unfavourable -0.90 Lower Middling -1.03 Unfavourable
North Lanarkshire -0.94 Lower Middling -0.83 Lower Middling -0.87 Lower Middling -1.09 Unfavourable
North Lincolnshire -1.14 Unfavourable -0.92 Lower Middling -0.70 Lower Middling -0.72 Lower Middling
North Northamptonshire -0.73 Lower Middling -0.64 Lower Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.72 Lower Middling
North Somerset 0.02 Middling 0.18 Middling 0.05 Middling 0.14 Middling
North Tyneside -0.10 Middling -0.14 Middling -0.01 Middling -0.34 Middling
North Yorkshire CC -0.38 Middling -0.24 Middling -0.30 Middling -0.24 Middling
Northern Ireland -0.44 Middling -0.43 Middling -0.44 Middling -0.43 Middling
Northumberland -0.45 Middling -0.65 Lower Middling -0.40 Middling -0.57 Lower Middling
Norwich and Norfolk -0.68 Lower Middling -0.41 Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.57 Lower Middling
Nottingham -0.01 Middling -0.39 Middling -0.23 Middling 0.02 Middling
Nottinghamshire -0.13 Middling -0.26 Middling -0.14 Middling -0.29 Middling
Oldham -0.90 Lower Middling -0.94 Lower Middling -0.84 Lower Middling -0.96 Lower Middling
Orkney Islands -0.78 Lower Middling -0.74 Lower Middling -0.31 Middling -0.69 Lower Middling
Oxfordshire CC 1.68 Most Favourable 1.60 Most Favourable 1.46 Favourable 1.53 Most Favourable
Pembrokeshire -0.99 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling -1.16 Unfavourable -1.15 Unfavourable
Perth and Kinross -0.19 Middling -0.03 Middling -0.31 Middling -0.33 Middling
Peterborough -0.48 Middling -0.22 Middling -0.51 Lower Middling -0.00 Middling
Plymouth -0.66 Lower Middling -0.70 Lower Middling -0.28 Middling -0.78 Lower Middling
Portsmouth -0.33 Middling 0.01 Middling -0.29 Middling 0.25 Middling
Powys -0.61 Lower Middling -0.59 Lower Middling -0.31 Middling -0.34 Middling
Reading 1.58 Most Favourable 1.57 Most Favourable 1.62 Most Favourable 1.74 Most Favourable
Redbridge 0.53 Upper Middling 0.88 Upper Middling 0.72 Upper Middling 0.44 Middling
Redcar and Cleveland -1.21 Unfavourable -0.73 Lower Middling -0.63 Lower Middling -0.86 Lower Middling
Renfrewshire -0.48 Middling -0.42 Middling -0.28 Middling -0.12 Middling
Rhondda Cynon Taf -0.71 Lower Middling -0.86 Lower Middling -0.74 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling
Richmond upon Thames 2.06 Most Favourable 1.91 Most Favourable 1.96 Most Favourable 2.34 Most Favourable
Rochdale -0.97 Lower Middling -0.86 Lower Middling -0.82 Lower Middling -0.78 Lower Middling
Rotherham -0.80 Lower Middling -1.13 Unfavourable -0.84 Lower Middling -0.90 Lower Middling
Rutland 0.25 Middling 0.30 Middling 0.49 Middling 0.09 Middling
Salford -0.09 Middling -0.60 Lower Middling -0.58 Lower Middling -0.35 Middling
Sandwell -1.02 Unfavourable -1.18 Unfavourable -0.88 Lower Middling -0.85 Lower Middling
Scottish Borders -0.52 Lower Middling -0.64 Lower Middling -0.68 Lower Middling -0.62 Lower Middling
Sefton -0.56 Lower Middling -0.42 Middling -0.53 Lower Middling -0.72 Lower Middling
Sheffield 0.55 Upper Middling 0.65 Upper Middling 0.32 Middling 0.35 Middling
Shetland Islands -0.98 Lower Middling 0.09 Middling -0.47 Middling -0.19 Middling
Shropshire -0.41 Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.36 Middling -0.29 Middling
Slough 0.66 Upper Middling 0.07 Middling 0.27 Middling 0.81 Upper Middling
Solihull 0.34 Middling 0.36 Middling 0.01 Middling 0.55 Upper Middling
Somerset CC -0.55 Lower Middling -0.50 Middling -0.36 Middling -0.32 Middling
South Ayrshire -0.78 Lower Middling -0.57 Lower Middling -0.61 Lower Middling -0.48 Middling
South Gloucestershire 0.42 Middling 0.18 Middling 0.16 Middling 0.39 Middling
South Lanarkshire -0.77 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling -0.45 Middling -0.33 Middling
South Tyneside -0.73 Lower Middling -0.83 Lower Middling -0.92 Lower Middling -0.79 Lower Middling
Southampton 0.52 Upper Middling 0.54 Upper Middling 0.96 Upper Middling 0.68 Upper Middling
Southend-on-Sea -0.74 Lower Middling -0.19 Middling -0.50 Middling -0.73 Lower Middling
Southwark 1.82 Most Favourable 2.04 Most Favourable 1.86 Most Favourable 1.14 Favourable
St Helens -0.81 Lower Middling -0.96 Lower Middling -0.79 Lower Middling -0.51 Lower Middling
Staffordshire CC -0.40 Middling -0.47 Middling -0.47 Middling -0.51 Lower Middling
Stirling 0.77 Upper Middling 0.41 Middling 0.30 Middling 0.78 Upper Middling
Stockport 0.17 Middling 0.46 Middling 0.04 Middling 0.06 Middling
Stockton-on-Tees -0.59 Lower Middling -0.65 Lower Middling -0.54 Lower Middling -0.52 Lower Middling
Stoke-on-Trent -0.83 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling -0.98 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling
Suffolk CC -0.75 Lower Middling -0.39 Middling -0.43 Middling -0.20 Middling
Sunderland -0.98 Lower Middling -0.88 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling -0.91 Lower Middling
Surrey 0.79 Upper Middling 1.06 Favourable 0.87 Upper Middling 1.20 Favourable
Sutton 1.01 Favourable 0.48 Middling 0.23 Middling 0.28 Middling
Swansea 0.16 Middling -0.08 Middling 0.08 Middling -0.01 Middling
Swindon 0.34 Middling 0.50 Upper Middling 0.31 Middling 0.65 Upper Middling
Tameside -0.58 Lower Middling -0.87 Lower Middling -1.16 Unfavourable -0.75 Lower Middling
Telford and Wrekin -0.39 Middling -0.41 Middling -0.32 Middling -0.72 Lower Middling
Thurrock -0.51 Lower Middling -0.49 Middling -0.98 Lower Middling -0.86 Lower Middling
Torbay -0.94 Lower Middling -0.95 Lower Middling -1.03 Unfavourable -0.90 Lower Middling
Torfaen -0.90 Lower Middling -1.07 Unfavourable -0.84 Lower Middling -0.52 Lower Middling
Tower Hamlets 2.50 Most Favourable 2.97 Most Favourable 2.67 Most Favourable 2.34 Most Favourable
Trafford 0.97 Upper Middling 0.85 Upper Middling 0.56 Upper Middling 0.54 Upper Middling
Vale of Glamorgan 0.24 Middling 0.41 Middling 0.03 Middling 0.01 Middling
Wakefield -0.75 Lower Middling -0.90 Lower Middling -1.04 Unfavourable -0.69 Lower Middling
Walsall -0.92 Lower Middling -1.09 Unfavourable -0.78 Lower Middling -1.05 Unfavourable
Waltham Forest 0.45 Middling -0.32 Middling 0.00 Middling -0.20 Middling
Wandsworth 1.66 Most Favourable 1.87 Most Favourable 1.97 Most Favourable 1.39 Favourable
Warrington 0.09 Middling 0.34 Middling 0.25 Middling -0.10 Middling
Warwickshire CC 0.68 Upper Middling 0.43 Middling 0.02 Middling 0.20 Middling
West Berkshire 1.20 Favourable 0.54 Upper Middling 0.87 Upper Middling 0.82 Upper Middling
West Dunbartonshire -0.92 Lower Middling -0.67 Lower Middling -0.66 Lower Middling -0.86 Lower Middling
West Lothian 0.06 Middling 0.03 Middling -0.23 Middling -0.36 Middling
West Northamptonshire -0.19 Middling -0.35 Middling -0.32 Middling -0.19 Middling
West Sussex -0.27 Middling -0.13 Middling 0.04 Middling -0.03 Middling
Westminster 5.16 Most Favourable 4.70 Most Favourable 5.37 Most Favourable 4.80 Most Favourable
Wigan -0.68 Lower Middling -0.82 Lower Middling -0.94 Lower Middling -0.82 Lower Middling
Wiltshire 0.06 Middling 0.43 Middling 0.21 Middling 0.09 Middling
Windsor and Maidenhead 0.95 Upper Middling 1.09 Favourable 0.75 Upper Middling 1.54 Most Favourable
Wirral -0.67 Lower Middling -0.55 Lower Middling -0.32 Middling -0.21 Middling
Wokingham 1.44 Favourable 1.46 Favourable 1.67 Most Favourable 0.82 Upper Middling
Wolverhampton -0.68 Lower Middling -0.84 Lower Middling -0.60 Lower Middling -0.73 Lower Middling
Worcestershire CC -0.38 Middling -0.18 Middling -0.19 Middling -0.18 Middling
Wrexham -0.88 Lower Middling -0.82 Lower Middling -0.84 Lower Middling -0.75 Lower Middling
York 0.92 Upper Middling 0.80 Upper Middling 0.28 Middling 0.81 Upper Middling
  • Download the data (CSV, 22KB)

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    For the full download file, see Download the data.

    Summary main findings

    Data for 2018 to 2024 combined shows that the 6 ‘most favourable’ local authority areas for innovation and growth are all in London:

    • Camden and City of London
    • Westminster
    • Islington
    • Tower Hamlets
    • Hammersmith and Fulham
    • Hackney

    Many of the local authorities with ‘favourable’ conditions for innovation and growth are in London and its surrounding counties.

    There are also favourable conditions in:

    • Edinburgh
    • Oxfordshire
    • Reading
    • Bristol
    • Wokingham
    • Cheshire West and Chester

    Many local authorities with less favourable conditions for innovation and growth are in areas formerly known for coal mining and other heavy industries, or in coastal areas. These include:

    • North East Lincolnshire
    • Blaenau Gwent
    • Redcar and Cleveland
    • Doncaster
    • North Lincolnshire
    • East Ayrshire

    Many areas with unfavourable conditions for innovation growth also score poorly for conditions of childhood and labour market opportunities for young people.

    When comparing the most recent data with data from 2000 to 2005, there were only small improvements in conditions for innovation and growth. However, there was some progress both inside and outside of London. Any decline was uncommon and usually small.

    About the data

    Data source(s)

    • Office for National Statistics, Labour Force Survey (LFS), 2000 to 2024
    • Office for National Statistics, Regional Gross Value Added (GVA) by Industry, 1998 to 2022

    Geographic area

    UK

    What the data measures

    This page combines data from the following 3 indicators into a single 'composite' score:

    Things you need to know

    Areas are based on where respondents lived at the time they were surveyed, not where they grew up.

    The unit used for this index is the 'Z-score'. This is a type of statistical measurement which can be used to tell us how likely it is that a region is different to the UK average.

    The values shown are not percentages, and the difference between regions cannot be compared in percentage terms.

    The Z-scores are used to put regions into one of 7 groups, according to a set of thresholds for each group. See our technical annex for more information on how each area was scored.

    Type of data

    Survey data

    Download the data

    Download full dataset (CSV, 151KB)

    This file contains the following variables:

    • Measure code
    • Measure title
    • Chart type
    • Area type
    • Area name
    • Primary split type
    • Primary split value
    • Secondary split type
    • Secondary split value
    • Time period
    • Value
    • Unit
    • Group number

    Page history

    Publication release date:

    18 December 2025

    Editions of this page:

    This page replaces:

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