A recent study has highlighted significant regional disparities in resilience across England, with coastal and rural areas, particularly in the North, showing lower capabilities to withstand and recover from adverse events. This research was led by Health Equity North, the University of Manchester, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM), and has been published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

The study developed a Community Resilience Index (CRI) based on local authority data, providing a comprehensive assessment of resilience at a local level for the first time in England. This index considers various factors including employment, education, and housing to evaluate how communities can navigate challenges such as the global financial crisis, Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Key findings from the research indicate a stark North-South divide in resilience scores, with Yorkshire and the Humber and the North East scoring the lowest (75.2 and 77.5 respectively) and London and the South East scoring the highest (95.2 and 87.3 respectively). Coastal areas and rural regions notably scored lower than urban and inland areas, further underscoring the disparities.

The analysis within the CRI highlights several domains of resilience:

• Access and Infrastructure: Coastal and rural areas scored lower, while London scored the highest.
• Economic Well-being and Opportunity: Again, London and the South East exhibited robust economic resilience, while the North and coastal areas lagged behind.
• Social Capital and Connectivity: There was no significant North-South divide; however, rural areas scored lower compared to urban areas.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Rural and Northern England scored higher, indicating strengths in these areas despite overall lower resilience.
• Equity and Stability: London topped the scores, with the North East being the least resilient.

The research team advocates for targeted interventions to build resilience in these vulnerable areas. Christine Camacho, lead author and Ph.D. Fellow at NIHR ARC-GM, emphasised the importance of understanding community capacity to adapt and transform in the face of adversity to foster a more resilient nation.

Dr. Luke Munford, Co-Academic Director at Health Equity North and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at the University of Manchester, highlighted the potential of the CRI as a tool for exploring links between community resilience and health outcomes. This could provide a more nuanced understanding of factors contributing to health inequalities and inform targeted public health interventions.

You can download the full report, findings and analysis HERE.