The future of the UK economy

The United Kingdom is facing a decisive decade of huge economic change, from restructuring after Brexit and the pandemic, to urgently transitioning towards a net zero future, and adapting to technological shifts amid an ageing population. But it is doing that against a backdrop of low growth and high inequality, a toxic combination that leaves low- and middle-income households dangerously exposed to today’s cost of living crisis. South Yorkshire’s many strengths – including world-class universities in Sheffield and service sector firms across the region – must be harnessed to manage the economic changes of the 2020s well. But to really thrive, the region will need to find ways to ensure that everyone benefits from growth and investment.

What role can economic strategies – national and local – play in responding to the challenges of the 2020s, to secure higher growth and lower inequality? How will the changes to come affect the jobs we do, the places we live and the businesses we work for? And what are the prospects for cities like Sheffield, regions like Yorkshire, and nations like Britain to be able to rise to these challenges?

As part of the Economy 2030 Inquiry – in collaboration with the LSE and funded by the Nuffield Foundation – the Resolution Foundation is hosting this event in partnership with the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Sheffield to debate and answer these questions. Based on the research findings from the Inquiry so far, we will be joined by leading experts to discuss how different areas of the UK – particularly Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region – have responded to past periods of economic change, and how to make the coming decade of change a success.