51Âþ»­

A healthy work-life balance, decent transport links and a good environment to set up a new business has seen Leicester ranked as the best place in the East Midlands to live and work, according to this year’s Good Growth for Cities Index.

The annual study, by accountants PwC, examines the UK’s 52 largest cities and produces a state-of-the-nation report to understand the priorities of communities across the UK.

The entrance to The Lanes - known for its indie shops and bars

Leicester came top in the East Midlands and was ranked 20^th overall, performing well for work-life balance, transport, new businesses and income distribution. It also scored well for safety and the skills of its workforce.

The next best-performing city in the East Midlands was Derby, ranked 23^rd overall. Lincoln was 24^th, Nottingham finished 35^th and Northampton was 40^th.

The index looks beyond core economic growth – measured by Gross Domestic Product and Gross Value Added – and instead considers broad measures of economic well-being such as jobs, income, health, skills, work-life balance, housing, transport and the environment.

All cities in the UK have had a tough couple of years dealing with a cost-of-living crisis and Leicester received an average score for jobs, health and housing.

The Leicester High Street

But the report authors believe the new Government’s push for further devolved powers for cities in the UK – enabling them to make more decisions on where Government funding is spent locally - is helping make the outlook in Leicester and elsewhere ‘far rosier’ over the coming 12 months.

The report says: “Though the tough economic environment has affected real economic growth across the UK, we expect a rosier outlook for several cities.

“The UK economy is recovering slowly and steadily, and we expect economic growth to bounce back this year and continue on into 2025.”

Rachel Taylor, Leader of Industry for Government and Health Industries at PwC, said it was up to local leaders to now make the push for growth.

She said: “As local leaders look forward to playing a greater part in delivering economic growth in their areas, they have a window of time to take stock.

“They must use this time to reassess what their strengths and ambitions are for their areas and how they will grasp the fresh opportunities on the horizon.”

The fountain in Town Hall Square

51Âþ»­ has always recognised the important role it plays in fuelling the local economy.

The university supports companies through training and continuing professional development, developing new products and services and offers the opportunity to work with 51Âþ»­ academic experts.

51Âþ»­ also runs programmes such as Help to Grow, which enables small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – recognized as the backbone of the economy - to grow through leadership skills development.

The university’s support for start-ups and new businesses encompasses support for new student businesses as well as graduate business incubation programmes, mentoring and masterclasses.

Students on the 51Âþ»­ Campus, a short walk from the city centre