Donald Houston talks though key findings of the report and policy implications of a recent City-REDI paper. The University of Birmingham’s City-Region Economic Development Institute (City-REDI) has published a Research & Policy Briefing paper based on the main findings from a major project that I led funded by the Economic & Social Research Council. The … Continue reading “Policy Briefing: Understanding the UK’s Rise in Economic Inactivity Since 2020 Across Local Labour Markets”
Month: October 2025
West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 29th October 2025
International instability, uncertainty and protectionism continued to impact not just the global economy but the UK economy, with current and future business activity in decline, as a result of reduced confidence in the consumer markets globally. Prices continue to rise nationally, with consumer price inflation CPI rising 3.8% in the year to September 2025. Global … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 29th October 2025”
Celebrating 10 Years of City-REDI: Reflections from Elizabeth Goodyear
This year marks a major milestone for City-REDI as we celebrate a decade of research, impact, and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown from a bold idea into a leading centre for regional economic development, shaping policy and practice across the UK and beyond. To mark this anniversary, we’re launching a special blog … Continue reading “Celebrating 10 Years of City-REDI: Reflections from Elizabeth Goodyear”
Ten Years of City-REDI – Delma Dwight
This year marks a major milestone for City-REDI as we celebrate a decade of research, impact, and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown from a bold idea into a leading centre for regional economic development, shaping policy and practice across the UK and beyond. To mark this anniversary, we’re launching a special blog … Continue reading “Ten Years of City-REDI – Delma Dwight”
Ten Year’s of City-REDI – Liam O’Farrell
This year marks a major milestone for City-REDI as we celebrate a decade of research, impact, and collaboration. Over the past 10 years, we’ve grown from a bold idea into a leading centre for regional economic development, shaping policy and practice across the UK and beyond. To mark this anniversary, we’re launching a special blog … Continue reading “Ten Year’s of City-REDI – Liam O’Farrell”
Can West Midlanders Afford to Live Solo? A Local Take on the Carrie Bradshaw Index
In September 2025, The Economist updated the Carrie Bradshaw Index, a playful yet insightful measure of housing affordability for solo renters across 100 U.S. cities. Named after the iconic character from Sex and the City, the index compares median incomes to the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment, essentially asking: where can you afford to … Continue reading “Can West Midlanders Afford to Live Solo? A Local Take on the Carrie Bradshaw Index”
Celebrating 10 Years of City-REDI: A Call to Share, Reflect, and Inspire
October 2025 marks a significant milestone for City-REDI – our 10th anniversary! Professor Rebecca Riley and Professor Anne Green, Co-Directors of City-REDI reflect on the past decade and call for your memories. Over the past decade we have grown from a bold idea into a thriving research institute, dedicated to understanding and shaping inclusive, sustainable … Continue reading “Celebrating 10 Years of City-REDI: A Call to Share, Reflect, and Inspire”
Project Spotlight: Uncovering Patterns and Policy Implications of Multiple Employment
In a new series of blogs, we will be reviewing the current and historical work of City-REDI. In the latest blog of the series, we look at Dr Darja Reuschke’s work on exploring the dynamics and policy implications of multiple employment, particularly the combination of salaried jobs and self-employment. Project Overview The “Uncovering Patterns and … Continue reading “Project Spotlight: Uncovering Patterns and Policy Implications of Multiple Employment”
Developing a Business Case: Introduction to the Strategic and Economic Cases
In a new blog series, originally published by the National Civic Impact Accelerator, Alice Pugh explores how universities can build effective business cases for civic work, funding bids, and public sector partnerships. Strategic Case This is the first blog covering two of the 5 sections of the business case. The purpose of this strategic case is … Continue reading “Developing a Business Case: Introduction to the Strategic and Economic Cases”