Devolution and North/South division: poverty and social exclusion in the countries and regions of the UK

Abstract

The chapter presents a spatial analysis of poverty and social exclusion using data from the Poverty and Social Exclusion survey 2012 based on the countries of the UK and the North and South of England. The PSE-UK survey results are discussed in the context of the geography of income inequalities within EU countries and recent shifts in inequalities within the UK. The PSE-UK survey data reveal that the North of England is the most socially excluded part of the UK. The capacity of regional economic development policies, UK and EU, to address the UK's territorial inequalities is discussed. The chapter argues that current forms of devolution are very limited in what they can do to compensate for the lack of economic development and powers to address poverty and social exclusion through income redistribution and service provision remain marginal.