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Policy@Manchester Articles: Growth and Inclusion
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Breaking barriers: supporting people with Long COVID to return to work

Dr Ruth Wiggans By , and Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, Health and Care, Work Posted:

Supporting people with long-term disabilities to enter, or re-enter, the labour market is a key priority for policymakers. Here, Dr Hua Wei, Dr Sarah Daniels, and Dr Ruth Wiggans outline new research into what works – and doesn’t work – for those with Long COVID returning to work, how this can inform wider reforms to […]

How to kickstart productivity growth in the UK’s towns and cities?

By , and Filed Under: Devo, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up, UK economy, Urban Posted:

The UK’s urban centres are key to driving up economic and productivity growth. However, many post-industrial towns and cities are underperforming. In this article, Dr Marianne Sensier, Dr Kate Penney and Michael Francis from The Productivity Institute, describe their findings from a place-based study of Rochdale and explain what the government and metro mayors can […]

Picture of an airplane being refuelled at an airport.

Decarbonising transport: is hydrogen the answer?

Alice LarkinAmanda Lea-Langton By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted:

The UK government has enshrined net zero into law, but if it is to meet its targets then big strides need to be made towards decarbonising land-based transport, aviation, and shipping. Unlike most land-based transport, aviation and shipping are considered ‘difficult to decarbonise’. Their long-lived infrastructure, ongoing reliance on energy dense fuels, and issues around […]

Plastic bottles which have been crushed together into cubes.

Plastics policies are changing the game—but are SMEs being left behind?

Headshot of authorMaria Sharmina By and Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables Posted:

The UK plastics policy landscape is undergoing major changes. While consultations stress the importance of avoiding harm to SMEs, policies often lack concrete measures against such harm. Research by the University of Manchester indicates that current and forthcoming plastics policies, shaped by these consultations, would affect stakeholders across the plastic supply chain differently, with SMEs […]

A housing construction site, surrounded by rural countryside

Belting up to deliver housing targets – are Grey Belts the answer?

Ian Mell By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Urban Posted:

To meet targets of building 1.5 million homes, the new government launched a consultation on the process for releasing Green Belt land. Proposals include creating a new designation of “Grey Belt” land. But given the contentious nature of Green Belts and the arguments made for and against development in these locations, the addition of this new […]

The beach at Margate, in Kent, at sunset. In the background, a tower block stands behind the Dreamland theme park.

A landscape of need: mapping community resilience in England

By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth Posted:

Community resilience is a marker of how well communities can handle and recover from difficult events. It is referred to in various resilience framework policies; but how is it measured, and how can it be used to target support? Here, Christine Camacho and Dr Luke Munford outline their work in developing a new measure – […]

Woman delivering medications

Don’t worry about the future, what about the ‘now of work’?

By and Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, UK economy, Work Posted:

Amongst all the competing predictions about what the future of work might hold, the challenges of achieving decent work in the foundational economy have been largely overlooked. Here, Dr Mat Johnson and Dr Eva Herman argue that the focus should be on making tangible improvements to the working lives of those in the frontline roles that keep […]

Old woman stacking shelves at a supermarket

Extending working lives – healthy ageing in the workplace

By Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, Health and Social Care, UK economy Posted:

One in three workers in the UK are aged over 50 – with this figure set to rise in coming decades. Current government employment policy is to encourage over 50s to either to remain or return to work. However, the lasting impacts of COVID-19, along with caring, health, and work issues facing older workers, are […]

Workplace violence article image - Shop front, workers customers

Workplace violence and aggression – employees on the frontline

Kara Ng author headshotSheena Johnson By and Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, UK economy, Urban Posted:

Workplace violence and aggression (WVA) is a serious social issue with profound negative consequences for individuals, teams, organisations, and society. The risk of WVA from the public (third parties) is a growing concern, with evidence indicating that incidents increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even ‘after’ COVID (after pandemic restrictions have ended), increased rates of WVA […]

Mapping the divide: Learning from the landscape of local economic performance

By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up Posted:

Inequality can be sliced many ways. A key aspect of the UK’s picture on inequality falls starkly along spatial lines of geography. So how can mapping spatial differences make policymaking more effective and targeted? In this article, from our Power in Place publication, Professor Cecilia Wong and Dr Wei Zheng discuss the importance of spatial […]

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