UK’s industrial regions face ‘entrenched disadvantages’ going back decades

Social mobility report highlights ‘extreme regional differences’ in terms of childhood, jobs, innovation and growth

Former industrial communities across Britain are facing “entrenched disadvantages” stretching back decades, the latest social mobility research has said.

It raises specific concern about the rising number of young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (Neets), which was one in seven between 2022 and 2024.