4A.1B Economic Activity and Social Factors
There are differences in economic activity (employment data and output data) and this is reflected through variation in social factors, (health, life expectancy and levels of education.)
Comparing Reading and Middlesbrough
Reading and Middlesbrough are similar sized urban areas in southern England and northeast England respectively. (170,000 people)
Reading has more than twice the number of professionals, but far fewer skilled traders, caring and leisure workers, and people employed in manual work.
The stats (2015)
Reading has more than twice the number of professionals, but far fewer skilled traders, caring and leisure workers, and people employed in manual work.
The stats (2015)
Pay and Education |
Percentage of people who are: |
Reading |
Middlesbrough |
Highly paid, high level of education |
Management |
9.2 |
7.5 |
. |
Professional (lawyers,doctors) |
28.7 |
13.6 |
. |
Professional and technical |
16.1 |
12.1 |
. |
Administrative |
10.2 |
10.4 |
. |
Skilled trades |
8.8 |
11.7 |
. |
Caring, leisure, and other sevices |
7.6 |
12.2 |
. |
Sales and customer services |
5.3 |
8.1 |
. |
Process plant and machine operators |
4.5 |
6.7 |
Low pay, low level of education |
Manual work |
9.6 |
16.7 |
The table suggests that Reading is a more economically successful place than Middlesbrough.
In terms of type of work:
Reasons for these Economic Differences: (education and pay)
- In 2015, the average hourly pay for a male worker in Middlesbrough was £12.50, and in full time employment a worker could expect to earn £532 a week.
- In Reading it's £14.80 and £605.
In terms of type of work:
- 66% of people in Reading are economically active, compared with 54% in Middlesbrough, where part time employment (which pays less) is also more common.
- GVA is also very different for the two areas: £34,000 per person in Reading, and £17,000 in Middlesbrough
- Gross Value Added (GVA) is a measure of economic output; it's the value of goods and services produced per person.
Reasons for these Economic Differences: (education and pay)
- In 2014, 22.5% of people in Middlesbrough had no educational qualifications, versus 11.5% in Reading
- In 2014, 19% had a University level qualification in Middlesbrough, but 43% in Reading
- Middlesbrough's manual workers earn about £350 a week, whereas Reading's professional ear about £700
- Temporary, low paid and 'zero-hours contract' work is more common in Middlesbrough, meaning people have lower job and income security.
- There is a difference in life expectancy: a male born in 2014 in Middlesbrough - 77, the same male born in 2014 in Reading - 81
- Health (measured by the percentage of long term sick and disabled) is very high in Middlesbrough (7%) compared to Reading. (3%)