North-South Divide

• Context of the North-South divide

  • Industrial revolution: UK growth centred around heavy industry and coal fields which thrived in Wales and northern UK (primary) bringing prosperity, wealth, and migrants to the North for employment
  • Since 1970s: Deindustrialisation caused a decline in these industries, increasing unemployment (sustainability and resource management)
  • Alternative sources of energy reduced importance of coal fields
  • Modern industries have located in South -> major unemployment in North
• Context of the North-South divide - current day

  • London and S.E. developed rapidly due to fast growing tertiary sector
  • London is a major financial centre and has grown faster than the rest of the UK
  • This has lead to very advantageous house prices across the S.E. in London's sphere of influence causing gentrification
  • This is inaccessible for most people in the north, leading to a spiral of decline.
• Services

  • North depends on public sector e.g. NHS
  • South is private sector dominant

  This means that the South has more disposable income to spend on private services.
• Income

  • North has lower incomes, e.g. 2011 average household disposable income = 13,560. Benefits make up a higher proportion of income.
  • South has higher incomes, e.g. 2011 average household disposable income = 20,509 in London

  This means that the South have a higher quality of life as they can spend additional money on things that make them happy and London has higher skill and pay jobs
• House Prices

  • The North has lower house prices, average £ 150,000
  • The South has higher house prices, average £ 300,000

  This means that people in the South are normally in the upper / middle class and it is hard for people in the North to access the opportunities in the South
• Life Expectancy

  • The North has lower life expectancy, e.g. in 2013 Manchester male = 71.8, female = 77.8 - link to Glasgow effect
  • The South has a higher life expectancy, e.g. in 2013 London male = 83.1, female = 84.7

  This means that people in the South have higher access to and quality of services due to privatisation and better paid jobs causing a positive multiplier effect
• Education

  • Pupils from the North are less likely to achieve straight A grades at A levels and are less likely to go on to study at Oxford or Cambridge
  • Pupils in the South are 40% more likely to achieve top GCSE grades

  This means that the South has better quality and access to education and resources due to privatisation. This also means the North will have a less skilled and educated work force in the future.
• Unemployment

  • The North have higher unemployment at 7.7%
  • The South have lower unemployment at 4.4%

  This could be due to people in the South having higher access to and quality of services due to privatisation and better paid jobs (positive multiplier effect), so people in the North don't have the necessary skills to access the jobs, causing large scale unemployment.