A good life in all regions: Uniting our country to end poverty

Our country could be – and should be – a place where everyone has the means to lead a good life, wherever they live. 

But we are a long way from realising that ambition. Across the country, our regional economies are failing to provide that good life for many, even in London and the south east. 

The Commission on Poverty and Regional Inequality set out to unite England’s regions around a shared agenda to reduce poverty and raise living standards. It focused on tackling the causes of poverty linked specifically to regional economic failure, from poor job opportunities to high housing costs.

Its report concludes that the UK has two major regional economy challenges – ‘low growth’ outside the south east, where places lack good jobs; and ‘overheating’ in the capital, where living costs are too high.