Doing the Right Thing – Lending Amongst Uncertainty

James Russell, former Head of Marketing and Impact at BCRS Business Loans discusses how business confidence is low, and how economic circumstances are becoming more difficult. This article was written for the Birmingham Economic Review, published in September 2023.  The review is produced by City-REDI / WMREDI, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham … Continue reading “Doing the Right Thing – Lending Amongst Uncertainty”

West Midlands Combined Authority Deeper Devolution Deal

Alice Pugh discusses the West Midland Combined Authority (WMCA) Deeper Devolution Deal and the main issues local institutes face. This article was written for the Birmingham Economic Review. The review is produced by City-REDI / WMREDI, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy … Continue reading “West Midlands Combined Authority Deeper Devolution Deal”

The Heavy Weight of Covid Loans on the Hospitality Industry

Tracey Stephenson, Managing Director of Staying Cool, discusses how the UK’s hospitality industry suffered disproportionately during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article was written for the Birmingham Economic Review. The review is produced by City-REDI / WMREDI, the University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of the economy … Continue reading “The Heavy Weight of Covid Loans on the Hospitality Industry”

Companies at Risk of Insolvency in the 11 Core Cities

Reen Blake-Carr investigates the number of businesses that are in danger of insolvency in the 11 Core Cities and discusses some of the factors that might be causing this issue. The UK, much like the rest of the world has been through a turbulent few years – a consequence of the global pandemic and other … Continue reading “Companies at Risk of Insolvency in the 11 Core Cities”

The Autumn Statement 2023: The Impacts

Alice Pugh looks at the impact of the Autumn Budget on households, businesses and public services. View Alice’s previous blog on this topic – Key Announcements Autumn Statement 2023 Household Impact  The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that the changes to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for employees and the self-employed, will only give … Continue reading “The Autumn Statement 2023: The Impacts”

The Wider Socio-Economic Impacts of Firm Insolvencies

2022 saw the largest number of firm insolvencies (bankruptcies) since 2009 in England and Wales. Professor Simon Collinson, Dr Huanjia Ma and Dr Matt Lyons discuss the impact of this on the Birmingham city-region. In 2022 we saw the largest number of firm insolvencies (bankruptcies) since 2009 in England and Wales. Building on previous analysis … Continue reading “The Wider Socio-Economic Impacts of Firm Insolvencies”

Innovation Policy: The Role of Universities, Priority Sectors and Micro-enterprises

Juliane Schwarz discusses the potential impacts of prioritising certain sectors over others and how universities can play a role in active industrial policy. Juliane also looks at the role of small and micro businesses in our economy and how they can be better supported. In her letter to the Financial Times, the Vice-Provost of Research … Continue reading “Innovation Policy: The Role of Universities, Priority Sectors and Micro-enterprises”

REDI-Updates: The Impact of Rising Prices on Businesses

The latest edition of REDI-Updates is out now – providing expert data insights and clear policy guidance. In this edition, the WMREDI team investigates what factors are contributing to the cost-of-living crisis and the impact it is having on households, businesses, public services and the third sector. We also look at how the crisis in … Continue reading “REDI-Updates: The Impact of Rising Prices on Businesses”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 3 August 2023

While in the UK July 2023 has not seen anything close to the all-time temperature record of 40.3°C set on 19th July 2022, over the last month extreme weather has dominated international news headlines, with record high temperatures in the southern part of the USA and in southern Europe in particular and flooding in parts … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 3 August 2023”

The Impact of Economic Events on Ethnic Minority-Led Business in Birmingham

Neelam Afzal discusses the importance of ethnic minority-led businesses for the economy of Birmingham and the UK, but how these businesses are often detached from mainstream business support and struggle disproportionally when accessing finance.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2022.  The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced … Continue reading “The Impact of Economic Events on Ethnic Minority-Led Business in Birmingham”