The proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority area has a population of 2,123,400 (ONS, 2022). Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Derby, and Nottingham will combine to become a Combined County Authority in May 2024 and will bring together 17 local authorities: Amber Valley, Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Broxtowe, Chesterfield, Derby City, Derbyshire Dales, Erewash, Gedling, High Peak, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, North East Derbyshire, Nottingham, Rushcliffe, and South Derbyshire.

It has an employment rate of 73.6% and its unemployment rate (3.2%) is lower than the English average (3.7%) [ONS, 2023]. Economic inactivity is higher (24%) than the rest of England (21.4%) [ONS, 2023]. Derby City has the highest average weekly wage at £649, which is £19 above the England wide average (Centre for Cities, 2023).

Just over one in five workers (20.4%) in the proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority are in severely insecure work, which is just above the national average of 19.8%.

Between 2021-2022, we found that the proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority area was home to a comparatively higher number of second jobs, low paid jobs, and temporary work than the national average. On the other hand, we saw lower involuntary part-time work and solo-self-employment.

Across the proposed East Midlands Combined County Authority area, there is significant variation amongst the 16 local authorities. Derbyshire Dales is the hotspot in the city region for severely insecure work, and above the national average, at 26%. In Rushcliffe, 13.9% of workers are in severely insecure work, which is approximately six percentage points below the English average.

Source: Work Foundation calculations of the Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey; 2021- 2022.

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