Greater Manchester is a large city region in the North West of England, with a population of 2.8 million across its ten boroughs of Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan. It has benefited from significant regeneration and growth over the last few decades, with a vibrant and dynamic urban core, and strengths in innovative sectors, such as health innovation and advanced materials.

This growth has not benefited all people or places, with growing inequalities between inner and outer boroughs, and between lower and higher income households. In particular, health inequalities are holding back productivity and greater prosperity.

The Greater Manchester Strategy 2021-2031 sets out a vision for a greener, fairer and prosperous Greater Manchester. As the first place in the UK to set up a combined authority and negotiate a devolution deal, and with a Trailblazer Devolution Deal agreed in 2023, Greater Manchester is at the forefront of this agenda with the highest level of devolution in the country.

Here are some of the ways that Greater Manchester is delivering inclusive growth in practice:

Good Employment Charter

Created to improve employment standards across seven key characteristics of good employment, with two tiers of involvement.

Flexible Jobs Index

Using funded delivery support from the IGN, GMCA worked with Timewise to produce an evidence base on the availability and accessibility of flexible work in the region.

Foundational Economy Innovation Fund

The fund provides grants for businesses and organisations working in or with the foundational or ‘everyday economy’ to trial new ideas and increase resilience. This includes: health and social care, early education and childcare (0-5 years), retail and personal services, hospitality and leisure.

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