There is a concentration of left-behind areas in post-industrial districts in northern England and in coastal areas in southern England.
This is according to the September 2019 report (pdf) from the Local Trust and Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion which identifies 206 ‘left behind’ areas in England.
This report makes three recommendations to government.
- To dedicate the estimated £2bn in dormant assets from stocks, bonds, shares, pension and insurance funds that will soon become available to the proposed Community Wealth Fund to support the development of civic assets, connection and community engagement in the most left-behind neighbourhoods
- To dedicate an appropriate portion of the £3.6bn Stronger Towns Fund and the proposed Shared Prosperity Fund to support community economic development in these neighbourhoods
- To establish a joint, cross-government/civil society task force to consider evidence about and develop recommendations for how left-behind areas might be levelled up.
