Hull has been named the third-most improved UK city as a place to live and work, according to a new report.
The Demos-PwC Good Growth for Cities Index 2018 ranks cities on a combination of economic performance and quality of life.
It measures 42 of the UK’s largest cities against 10 indicators, including employment, health, income and skills – which are the most important factors, according to the public – while housing affordability, commuting times, environmental factors and income inequality are also included, as is the number of new business starts.
The index “sets out to show that there’s more to life, work and general well-being than just measuring GDP”, it said.
It ranked Hull as the third-most improved city since the 2017 index, behind only Preston and Middlesbrough-Stockton – and ahead of cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester.
Councillor Daren Hale, Hull City Council portfolio holder for economic investment, regeneration, planning, land and property, said: “We welcome this improvement following what has been a tremendous year for Hull and the Humber region in terms of investment and growth.
“The results can be directly attributed to investment, Hull’s year as UK City of Culture and Hull City Council’s determination to address some of the effects of austerity.
“There is a very strong link on Hull’s performance and the increase in performance of the Humber. The growth in Hull has had a beneficial impact on that of the Humber region, underpinning the case for the Humber economic unit.”
The index shows almost all major UK cities improved their score relative to the 2017 index, driven primarily by rising employment.
In general, cities that have seen the biggest improvements in their overall score have also experienced large falls in unemployment in recent years.
John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC, said: “Almost all UK cities have seen improved good growth scores in recent years, driven primarily by cyclical falls in unemployment rates that have now rippled out from the South East of England to regions like the North East that were previously lagging behind.”
