This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation examines geographic gaps in ageing across the country. All developed countries are ageing, and the UK is no different. The combination of rising life expectancy, a large cohort of baby boomers moving into retirement and falling birth rates means the country’s median age rose from 33.9...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government outlines what powers are available to metro mayors to drive regeneration. The regeneration of disused, deprived and deindustrialised urban areas across England will be crucial to the government’s ability to achieve its economic growth targets. It will also bring other benefits, like reducing regional inequality...

This report from UK think tank Centre for Cities investigates whether the current planning system has seen private housebuilding reach rates high enough to meet the new national target. Using newly available data on English housebuilding by local authority since 1946, digitised by Centre for Cities, this report investigates whether the current planning system has...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI aims to understand how universities are currently measuring their civic economic impact. The purpose of this report is to understand how universities are currently measuring their civic economic impact. Universities are not fully embedding their civic economic impact within their strategic framework and decision making. An economic impact...

This report from UK think tank Power to Change explores community cohesion, empowerment and growth in response to the riots across the UK this summer. Torn social fabric lay behind disorder this summer. The government’s communities policy must move from responding to crisis to consistency. We know community cohesion is back on the agenda for...

This report from UK think tank Localis explores funding local government in this Parliament and beyond. The financial problems facing local government in England are well rehearsed. The deteriorating impact of shrinking budgets on public services and the state of the public realm formed an important part of the Labour Party’s platform of ‘change’ in...

This report from UK think tank Centre for Cities provides a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending across the UK. This report provides a comprehensive picture of domestic visitor spending across the UK’s 63 largest cities for the first time, and sets out the ‘visitor offer’ in each place and how that compares nationally.

This report from UK think tank the Centre for Social Justice looks at how to tackle loneliness through the built environment. This report shows how the government can tackle loneliness through the built environment, defined in this report as the man-made structures and features that viewed collectively, form the places in which people live. For...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI explores the economy of England’s second city and a high-quality resource for informing research, policy and investment decisions. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second city and a...

This report from UK think tank Centre for Cities states that an economic geography approach to English devolution would be the most pragmatic. The forthcoming English Devolution White Paper will be an important milestone for economic growth and public service reform. The Government is correct to see devolution within England as a priority, and the...

This report from UK think tank City-REDI aims to inform the development of inclusive and sustainable local economic partnerships. This evidence review summarises key policies and research related to inclusive and sustainable local economic performance, focusing on strengthening economic development partnerships within place. It examines inclusive and sustainable local economic performance, national and local policies,...

This report from UK think tank New Local argues that the key to unlocking our fraught planning system is to give communities more power and influence to shape local development. Our country needs to build more. More houses are required to meet current and rising demand. High streets and town centres need regeneration. Our infrastructure...

This report from UK think tank IIED reevaluates responses to the protracted displacement of Syrian refugees in Jordan. An estimated one in 14 residents in Jordan is a refugee, making it the world’s second largest per capita refugee host. Almost 90% of the 727,715 people registered as refugees with UNHCR in Jordan are from Syria,...

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Government looks at how the government can extend devolution to the whole of England. After a decade of devolution, a dozen English regions are now led by mayors who, in partnership with local government, control key economic powers and budgets. But devolution has unfolded unevenly and...

This report from UK think tank Localis looks at getting to grips with whole place transformation. Driven by the dynamics of a new political cycle, we are on the edge of a major shift in the way we go about delivering local public services. The circumstances call for a reform agenda encompassing the positive hopes...

As COP26 comes to a close what are some of the changes we can make in cities that can help with the net zero agenda? A greater uptake of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is required By Rebecca Foster (Bright Blue) The UK’s pledge to reach net zero by 2050 will ultimately require significant changes to the way...