The Geography of Economic Inactivity

Project Director: Professor Christina Beatty
Project Duration: 2023-2024

Economic inactivity has moved up the political, policy and media agenda of late. This reflects the fact that the number of working age adults who are economically inactive - not in employment or unemployed - has risen by 800,000 since the pandemic. This occurred alongside low unemployment and high levels of vacancies and labour shortages.

This project will investigate the underpinning geography of economic inactivity across Britain and highlight how this can inform the development of policy solutions. Methodological approaches will be developed and tested via a pilot in South Yorkshire. This will support Sheffield Hallam’s commitment to its Civic University agenda and support the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to understand the spatial dimensions and composition of economic inactivity across the sub-region.