People in Manchester have lowest disposable income in UK, study finds

An eyeopening new study has shown that people in Manchester have some of the lowest disposable incomes in the country. 

Manchester was one of five local authorities to rank the lowest for disposable household income per person, alongside Blackburn, Darwen, Nottingham and Leicester, iNews reports.

The data, published by think tank the Resolution Foundation, showed that before housing costs and after taxes, the average person in Manchester has an average disposable income of just £13,061.

In Blackburn, the average person is left with a household income of £12,455, while Nottingham has a measly £11,769 left over on average.

@blaciocenter / Unsplash

These figures are in stark contrast to the wealth enjoyed by people in more affluent parts of the country – in Kensington and Chelsea, the average disposable income stood at £52,451 per person, four times the Manchester average.

Over in Westminster, the average was a very comfortable £36,507, followed by Hammersmith and Fulham with £31,964, Camden with £30,658 and Richmond-upon-Thames with £30,645.

The massive differences in disposable incomes in the north and the south are high on the Government’s agenda, with Boris Johnson’s administration having made ‘levelling up’ its flagship policy.

However, the Resolution Foundation says the data indicates that ‘the scale of change required goes far beyond anything currently being contemplated’ by the government.

@gregwillson / Unsplash

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said they ‘welcomed’ the report’s findings, which, they said, ‘highlight the vital importance and urgency of levelling up all parts of the UK’.

They said: “The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, which began its journey through Parliament earlier this month, will enshrine in law our commitment to closing the gap in pay and productivity across regions.

“By investing in the areas that need it most, improving schools, supporting regeneration and generating higher-paid jobs we will improve the lives of the poorest in areas across the UK.”