New analysis published by the Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up [CEILUP] at the University of West London indicates that due to the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze, eight of the government’s 12 levelling up missions are at high risk of not being achieved by 2030, while two more are at medium risk of falling short.
The 12 missions were outlined in the Levelling Up White Paper, published in February 2022. They aim to address key issues such as raising standards of education; cutting crime; increasing productivity; and reducing inequalities.
The CEILUP’s report was compiled from the best available data around how the cost-of-living crisis would impact levelling up, considering effects such as higher poverty levels and the implications that economic recession, inflation, higher interest rates and public spending reductions would have on attempting to increase opportunity across the country.
Drawing upon 100 different samples of evidence, the report indicates that levelling up missions relating to productivity, research & development, education, health inequalities, wellbeing, pride of place, home ownership and crime are most at risk of falling short by 2030.
Furthermore, missions related to skills and internet connectivity are deemed to be at medium risk and those focused on devolution and transport are expected to be less affected.
The report does, however, emphasise that all the missions are heavily dependent on public spending and government commitment, and that they will all be at risk of failing if levelling up funding is cut.
It goes on to recommend that ministers set aside specific levels of funding for each individual levelling up mission and protect this investment from public spending cuts and be proactive on tackling poverty.
Professor Graeme Atherton, head of the CEILUP and lead author of the report, commented: “These missions address the long-term challenges facing the most economically challenged communities in the country but the risk of them not being achieved is very high unless the short-term issues related to the cost-of-living crisis are addressed.”
Given the Bank of England’s gloomy prognosis for the economy, the report offers little suggestion that the levelling up missions will succeed after it had emphasised that avoiding recession would be “essential” for the agenda to be delivered on.
Photo by Emil Kalibradov on Unsplash
