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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 13h

New rules are coming into force this week that will change how Housing Benefit affects people living in supported housing and temporary accommodation. Improving access to work in the West of England is not only about creating jobs. It is also about whether people can afford to access opportunities.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

How housing affordability is impacting regional growth in the West of England - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The Gov has opened applications for the Pathways to Work Innovation Fund, inviting ideas to help disabled people and people with health conditions in work. Our research finds the disability employment gap in the West of England rose to around 16 percentage points in 2025.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Participation gaps and hidden inequalities in the West of England - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

We're delighted that Lucy Martin, Director of the Brunel Centre, will be joining a panel discussion at this year's Festival of Economics. Levelling up or falling short? The politics and economics of English devolution 18 November 2026 15:00–16:00 Watershed, Bristol

economicsfestival.co.uk

Levelling up or falling short? The politics and economics of English devolution – Festival of Economics

13-20 November 2026 | Bristol, UK

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Yesterday's government update on progress since the publication of #KeepBritainWorking highlights how earlier and better support for people with health conditions or disabilities in the workplace is key to driving growth and productivity across the country.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Who is most likely to work part-time in the Greater West of England? Following our previous post, we're taking a closer look at part-time employment rates to explore differences by age and gender, and how rates are changing over time. Click the link for data from across the region! #PartTimeWork

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Part-time employment in the Greater West of England, 2025 - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Conventional economic measures do not fully capture the value of natural capital. In a new policy insight, Mark Everard explores the risks that environmental degradation and resource constraints are creating for businesses, public services and communities in the West of England.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

The natural foundations of the West of England economy - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

How can the West of England build on its strong business support networks to unlock its growth potential? We have published a new policy insight by Kieron Owen and Armagan Gezici examining how businesses across the West of England access advice, finance and other specialist expertise.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Two-speed business support in the West of England - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

What could the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) mean for the Greater West of England? The new NPPF represents a change in England’s planning policy, including greater support for housing within a reasonable walking distance, generally 800m, of well-connected railway stations.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Where might decarbonisation efforts in the West of England have impact? We have published a new policy insight, authored by Professor Peter Bradley, examining the greenhouse gas emissions associated with products and services provided by organisations across the West of England.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Understanding the GHG footprint of final goods and services provisioned by the West of England - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

📢 Andy Burnham's plan to allow England's regional mayors to retain a share of the income tax and business rates generated in their areas signals the Prime Minister's willingness to give regional authorities greater control over local spending. #EnglishDevolution #FiscalDevolution #RegionalGrowth

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

🌐 A key theme emerging from the UK government's economic agenda is the ambition to strengthen the UK's sovereign capabilities in sectors such as energy, AI, quantum technologies and advanced manufacturing. (1/4)

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

📈 As the new UK government pledges to deliver 'good growth in every postcode' through investment in transport, housing and infrastructure, there is a clear need for robust regional evidence. (1/3)

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Easing the cost of living raises questions about how lasting improvements in living standards can be achieved. By building a clear picture of where cost of living pressures are greatest and the structural factors driving them, policymakers can set targeted interventions. #EconomicData #PublicPolicy

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Strategic Economic Audit of the West of England - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

We're inviting anyone who has engaged with #EngineShed to complete a survey on how the space has been used and the benefits it has delivered. As Engine Shed prepares to close its doors, your feedback will inform future activities in the new #TempleQuarter Enterprise Campus. #Bristol #WestOfEngland

uniofbath.questionpro.eu

The Legacy of Engine Shed - survey - This survey is created by QuestionPro

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

💡 This #YouthEmploymentWeek, take a look at data on employment patterns among 16–24-year-olds in the Greater West of England. The data show divergence across the region. Some areas see strong labour market absorption, while others have a higher proportion of young people in full-time study.

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Education, employment and NEET outcomes among young people in the Greater West of England aged 16–24 - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

📈 Our latest Data Hub updates provide fresh analysis on key factors shaping the West of England economy, from trends in higher education to second jobs. 🔎 Explore the latest: www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk/data-hub #DataInsights #RegionalEconomy #WestOfEngland #SouthWestEngland

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

📈 The Big Cities Outlook 2026 from the Centre for Cities centreforcities.bsky.social highlights Bristol as one of the UK's leading urban economies, having outperformed many other cities in recent years.

centreforcities.org

Big Cities Outlook 2026 - Centre for Cities

Big Cities Outlook highlights and expands on the economic performance of the UK’s largest cities to understand how they contribute to raising living standards across the country.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

As Andy Burnham makes the case for devolving more decision-making to regional authorities, the need for robust local evidence has never been greater. We regularly expand our Data Hub. If there's a dataset you'd find useful but can't see, we welcome suggestions for future additions!

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Data Hub - The Brunel Centre

Explore Brunel Centre Data. Evidence-based projects delivering insight across communities, policy, planning and economic development.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

🌡️ Heatwaves are becoming more frequent as greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. With heat warnings across England, the need to cut emissions is clear. Explore local authority emissions data for the Greater West of England on our Data Hub: www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk/data-hub/gre...

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Greenhouse gas emissions in the Greater West of England, 2023 - The Brunel Centre

The Brunel Centre is an economic data and research centre focussed on powering sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the West of England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

(1/3) Did you know that we maintain an open-access Data Hub on our website? It brings together key indicators that inform our published analysis and provides a consistent evidence base for understanding regional trends. www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk/data-hub #WestOfEngland #RegionalDevelopment

thebrunelcentre.co.uk

Data Hub - The Brunel Centre

Explore Brunel Centre Data. Evidence-based projects delivering insight across communities, policy, planning and economic development.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

We're delighted to feature in this new article, in which Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bath, reflects on how universities can strengthen their role in the UK’s innovation system. 📝 www.hepi.ac.uk/2026/05/05/u... #UKInnovation #HigherEducation

hepi.ac.uk

Universities need to learn how to truly listen to industry - HEPI

Over the weekend HEPI published a blog on Scotland’s higher education funding framework and a blog on universities’ financial security This blog was kindly authored by Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor…

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

New report: How can innovation clusters in the Oxford–Cambridge Corridor benefit the UK-wide economy? Published by The Growing Together Alliance with research conducted by us, this report explores how innovation activity in Ox-Cam connects with the rest of the UK. #OxCam #UKInnovation #UKEconomy

cambridgeahead.co.uk

Accelerating the UK-wide benefits of connected innovation clusters - Cambridge Ahead

The UK’s innovation economy is often described as a series of world-leading places, from the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor to major city regions across the country. But new research from the Growing...

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

To mark #NationalProductivityWeek 2026, we're sharing key findings from our Strategic Economic Audit of the West of England, published last month! Take a look through some headline findings below, or visit www.thebrunelcentre.co.uk for the full analysis.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Our goal is to provide evidence to power growth in the West of England. The significance of this was highlighted at two events organised by Futures West part of the Festival of Economics last week. Find out more: futureswest.co.uk/2025/11/25/e...

futureswest.co.uk

Festival of Economics Wrap Up: Evidence Matters

Evidence Matters... …But evidence only drives change when it’s visible and used. This was a core theme that ran through two events we delivered last week as part of the Festival of Economics, in…

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

We've been busy sharing our first Policy Insight— from roundtables to Party Conference speeches. Great to connect with those driving inclusive growth in the West of England. Your feedback is shaping our next steps. Let’s keep talking — we’re open to collaboration! Read it here: buff.ly/pYXarOi

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Joe Chrisp, a lecturer in the Brunel Centre at the University of Bath focuses on the political economy of welfare systems, especially housing and generational issues. Joe is leading the Centre's Regional Strategic Economic Audit chapter on housing, transport, and digital infrastructure.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

Gustavo Guntren, from the Brunel Centre team, is based in Business West and contributes to research on international trade, regional skills and labour markets. Gus's work involves analysing statistics and business data to provide insights on regional economic policy and business initiatives.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

Next from up from the team is Matt Dickson, Professor of Economic and Social Policy at the University of Bath. He specialises in economics of education and labour markets. He will be focussing on education and skills' impact on labour market outcomes and productivity in the West of England region.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 08/08/2025

Next up is Peter Bradley, a Professor in economics at UWE. His research analyses the environmental sustainability of the economy. Peter will be applying his expertise in input-output modelling and business model innovation among other approaches, to inform the sustainable economy aspects of our work

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Meet the Brunel Centre team! Next up, Professor Michael Donnelly. Mike specialises in evaluating education and skills policies, focusing on local economic growth, social mobility, and inequalities. He is currently leading an evaluation of a major area-based education initiative in England.

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

Meet Damian Whittard from The Brunel Centre team! As an Associate Professor & Programme Manager for Wage & Employment Dynamics at UWE Bristol, he excels in applied economics, focusing on labour markets, data governance, and regional growth. He connects research with real-world policies. #Economics

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

What an iconic regional venue at The Roman Baths for the celebration of the official launch of The Brunel Centre yesterday. #economicgrowth #devolution #regionaldevelopment #economics #data #research

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The Brunel Centre @thebrunelcentre.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

It is launch week for the Brunel Centre! We are on a mission to deliver the data and insight to inform sustainable and inclusive growth for the West of England. Watch this space! 👀

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