Social and economic realities in neighbouring postcodes can offer residents a very different experience of prosperity. PwC's Good Growth Barometer shows why, and what each place needs to deliver better lives.
Rising GDP means little if you are struggling to find affordable housing, book GP appointments, or access green spaces. It is these factors, coupled with the spending power people feel in their everyday lives, that dictate how growth is manifesting at a local level.
For more than a decade, our research into good growth has explored why economic progress improves lives more effectively in some places than others. This year’s Good Growth Barometer report builds on that work with a more granular view of local prosperity. It is powered by a new tool, the Place-Based Intelligence Model, developed by PwC’s Strategy& Economics team.
12.5m
Households where economic growth is translating less effectively into a better quality of life
50
Non-financial indicators used to measure UK quality of life in PwC's new Good Growth report
The model combines household spending power with the social and environment conditions that shape daily life, identifying the factors most closely associated with stronger or weaker outcomes in each place. This means local leaders and businesses can target action and investment where it will make the biggest difference to people’s lives, backed by HM Treasury Green Book-aligned evidence.
Ensuring economic opportunity is translating into better outcomes across the country will ultimately help more communities share in the benefits of growth, as places are given more responsibilities for shaping their own futures.
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