On Thursday 13th May the Legatum Institute published a brand-new UK Prosperity Index. It uses 256 indicators based on the latest available data (predominantly from before Covid-19 struck) to provide a comprehensive assessment of institutional, economic, and social well-being across the country’s 379 local authorities. The Index will be used to track the Government’s ‘levelling-up agenda’ and hold decision-makers to account for improving the prosperity of all regions of the UK.
The Index reveals that the South East is the most prosperous region of the UK, with 31 of the 50 top-performing local authorities in the country, and is becoming more prosperous over time. The region overall has low levels of crime, good governance, strong social fabric, good health and living conditions, and a strong economy with a fruitful environment for investment. However, there are notable challenges in the region’s coastal towns, including rising crime, deteriorating health, falling living conditions, and challenging conditions for local businesses.
The Index shows that the South East’s key strengths are:
However, the Index also reveals that there are opportunities for the South East to 'level-up', including:
Professor Matthew Goodwin, director of the Legatum Institute’s Centre for UK Prosperity, said: “The UK Prosperity Index is the most ambitious assessment of prosperity across the country to date. With detailed data on all boroughs and council areas, it is a transformational tool that can help policy-makers and influencers target their interventions more effectively on the journey towards greater prosperity. The Index will be updated annually, allowing citizens, businesses, local authorities, regions, and national government to track progress over time and hold decision-makers to account.
“The holistic and rigorous approach we have taken has allowed us to identify issues that have previously been missed in the discussion about how to level up the country. It highlights that while the majority of local authorities in the South East perform well in many aspects of prosperity, we also need to invest in improving safety and security of communities, health, and environment for local businesses, especially in coastal towns, if we are to see all citizens, neighbourhoods, and communities in the region reach their full potential. We hope our Index will help leaders across the South East set their agendas and implement strategies that will unlock real prosperity.”
The Index reveals that the South East is home to the top five local authorities in the UK:
Strongest performing South East local authorities for overall prosperity
South East rank | Local Authority | UK rank |
1 | Wokingham | 1 |
2 | Waverley | 2 |
3 | Elmbridge | 3 |
4 | Epsom and Ewell | 4 |
5 | Woking | 5 |
6 | Hart | 6 |
7 | Surrey Heath | 9 |
8 | Guildford | 10 |
9 | Mole Valley | 11 |
10 | Winchester | 13 |
Weakest performing South East local authorities for overall prosperity
South East rank | Local Authority | UK rank |
55 | Southampton | 171 |
56 | Canterbury | 201 |
57 | Rother | 207 |
58 | Medway | 216 |
59 | Folkestone and Hythe | 219 |
60 | Swale | 230 |
61 | Dover | 239 |
62 | Hastings | 269 |
63 | Thanet | 309 |
64 | Eastbourne | 312 |
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