The North-South Divide
Geography: AQA GCSE, topic 5.2.6
The North-South Divide in the UK
The north of the UK has been more negatively impacted by the decline of the UK's industrial base. Also, most of the benefits of the post-industrial service industry have been felt by the south. The north-south divide refers to the fact that economic and social indicators are generally better in the south.
Wages
- Average wages are higher in the south of England, but the cost of living is also higher in the South.
Health
- Generally, life expectancy and health outcomes are better in the south of the UK, than the north of the UK.
- Life expectancy in Sunderland is 2 years below the average UK life expectancy.
Education
- The majority of the Top 100 Schools in England judged by exam results are in the South of the country.
- Oxford University, Cambridge University, UCL and Imperial College London are all in the top 10 universities in the world. All of these universities are in the south of England.
Transport infrastructure
- HS2 is a high-speed rail link intended to connect London with Birmingham and Manchester in half the current travel time. However, this is unlikely to be completed until 2035-2055, which is a long time.
- Theoretically, this connects the north to the south. However, the first stage to be completed is from London to Birmingham.
- Also, government infrastructure projects usually overrun on cost with long delays. HS2 may not be finished for 35 years.
- The trains coming into London (Southern Rail and London Underground) have more passengers, are higher quality and come more frequently than the Metrolink in Manchester or Northern Rail services in the North.
Test yourself on The North-South Divide
Which region of the UK is generally better off?
Which of these urban areas had the higher average weekly wage in 2014?
What do we call the difference in economic and social indicators between the north and south of the UK?