The UK Economic Divide
The UK is one country, but not every region is equally wealthy. Some areas boom while others lag behind. Explore the two-speed economy and the ways a country can try to close the gap.
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A country of two speeds
The UK is one country, but not every region is equally wealthy. The south east, and London in particular, tends to be richer and to grow faster than many other regions. This gap is often called a two-speed economy. This module is about that divide and the ways of trying to close it.
Two-speed economy words
Four ideas run through this topic:
What is it?
What does the two-speed economy mean?
- Some regions are wealthier and grow faster than others
- Every region grows at exactly the same speed
- Cars are limited to two speeds
- The UK has no economy at all
Where to build
New homes and businesses can go on two kinds of land.
Match the meaning
- Two-speed economy
- Greenfield site
- Brownfield site
- Regeneration
- Some regions richer and faster-growing than others
- New, undeveloped land such as countryside
- Land in a town that was built on before
- Improving a run-down area
Closing the gap
To reduce the divide, the government can invest in poorer regions, improve the transport links between them, move jobs and offices out of the south east, and give regions more power through devolution. Regenerating run-down areas can also bring back jobs and people.
Bridging the divide
Which THREE could help bridge the economic gap between regions?
- Invest in poorer regions
- Improve transport links between regions
- Move some jobs out of the south east
- Build everything only in London
- Ignore the poorer regions completely
Costs and benefits
- A benefit of greenfield
- A cost of greenfield
- A benefit of brownfield
- A cost of brownfield
- More space and lower building cost
- Loses countryside and habitats
- Reuses land and is near services
- Often needs clearing and costs more
A plan to close the gap
Put the steps of a plan to reduce a regional divide in a sensible order.
- Identify a region that is falling behind
- Invest in transport and businesses there
- Bring new jobs to the area
- Regenerate run-down land
- Review whether the gap has narrowed
Complete the idea
The UK has a _____ economy, where the south east is wealthier and grows faster than many other regions. Building on new countryside is _____ development, while reusing town land is _____ development. The government can _____ in poorer regions and improve transport to bridge the _____.
True or not?
Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE.
- The south east of the UK is generally wealthier than many other regions.
- Brownfield sites reuse land that was built on before.
- Every part of the UK grows at exactly the same speed.
- Greenfield sites are always in the middle of cities.
- Net migration figures are always known exactly.
Hard to count
Why are UK net migration figures uncertain?
- They are hard to measure exactly
- They are always counted perfectly
- Nobody ever moves in or out
- They depend only on the weather
Grow the town
A town in a poorer region wants to grow. Choose the best option each time.
- The town needs new homes but wants to protect its countryside. Which land is better?
- How could the government help the region catch up?
- People disagree about migration into the town. What is a fair view?
Explain it
Explain the UK two-speed economy and evaluate ways of reducing the gap between regions.
- Explain what the two-speed economy is
- Give one reason the divide exists
- Suggest two ways to reduce the gap
- Weigh up greenfield against brownfield development