Mansfield's workforce productivity increases during coronavirus pandemic

The figures, which highlight the gross value added by the workforce to the economy in areas across the UK, show massive regional disparities, with the majority of the most productive workforces based in London and South-East England

Policy think-tanks have said the economic divide between London and the South East and the rest of the country “underline how pressing the levelling up agenda should be”.

Office for National Statistics figures show workers in Mansfield contributed £27.75 GVA per hour worked in 2021 – up from £25.70 in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic.

However, this remained below the UK average of £38.33.

The figures also show significant regional disparity across the UK – 17 of the top 20 most productive local authorities were based in the South East, while none of the bottom 25 were from those areas.

The most productive place, Rushmoor in Hampshire, generated £77.92 GVA per hour worked and was more than three times more productive than Wyre Forest in Worcestershire at £23.84.

GVA is the final value of the goods and services produced in an area and is used to measure contribution to the national economy.

Paul Swinney, Centre for Cities director of policy and research, said: “A key focus for the next Government should be to support every place to reach its potential, irrespective of where they are.”

The Institute for Public Policy Research said the UK “continues to be the most regionally unbalanced large, advanced economy”, adding this is not inevitable and is because of political choices.

Marcus Johns, a research fellow at the think-tank, said underinvestment in regions across the UK, the concentration of power in London, and under-resourced local government is “trapping us in an unequal and unproductive rut”.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communitie s said levelling up is a “long-term programme of reform that sits at the heart of our ambition as a Government”.

A spokesman said the Government is “determined to spread opportunity everywhere” through investment in town centres and devolving more money and power to local leaders.