Cities and regions Regional economic inequalities Challenges and opportunities 8 July 2026 Ruth Curtice Charlie McCurdy Parth Pandya These slides were presented by Resolution Foundation Chief Executive Ruth Curtice at an event hosted by Atom Bank in July 2026. The presentation takes stock of regional economic inequalities in the UK – the good, the bad and the ugly. Gaps between places have shrunk on some measures, with employment gaps narrowing over the 2010s and a rising minimum wage compressing pay gaps. But gaps in household incomes and productivity remain large and stubborn, and poor-performing areas have tended to stay that way, with even fast-growing Manchester still far adrift of London. The presentation concludes by setting out policy priorities for narrowing these deeply entrenched divides, including targeted investment in transport and housing, and a focus on Britain’s second cities.
