90,000 London White-Collar Jobs Shift to UK Regions as £9 Billion Spending Follows
Updated
Updated · The Edge Malaysia · Aug 12
90,000 London White-Collar Jobs Shift to UK Regions as £9 Billion Spending Follows
3 articles · Updated · The Edge Malaysia · Aug 12
Summary
About 90,000 London white-collar roles are projected to move to other UK regions over the next five years, with employers’ spending shifting by £9 billion and potentially £15 billion including wider local cash flows.
Manchester and the wider North West are expected to capture 22,500 jobs—about a quarter of the total—while the Midlands and Yorkshire would take 20% and 15%, respectively.
Robert Walters said London cost pressures, hybrid working and Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s devolution push are accelerating the shift, with firms often keeping senior managers in London while hiring junior staff locally.
The trend predates Burnham—companies including Deloitte and Goldman Sachs have expanded regional hubs, and the Bank of England plans to have about 10% of staff in Leeds by next year.
Separate Employment Hero data showed northern SME payrolls grew 6.3% quarter-on-quarter in July, twice London’s pace, underscoring a broader rebalancing away from the capital.