Regional inequalities in the quality of work continue to widen, new report claims

A new report from the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW) shows that while employment levels across the UK remain high, the quality of work available to people varies sharply depending on where they live. The 2025 edition of the Good Work Time Series suggests that regional inequalities in job quality are widening. Although people are in work, they are not necessarily in good work, with the study highlighting issues such as low autonomy, poor pay, unsocial hours and limited opportunities for development in many parts of the country.

The data suggests that the concentration of high-quality jobs in more affluent regions is reinforcing existing patterns of inequality. It also reveals that these gaps are growing. For example, the gap in good work scores between the highest and lowest ranked local authorities in England has increased over the last year. Similar patterns are seen in Scotland and Wales.

The report introduces a new ‘Disruption Index’, which assesses how exposed different jobs and regions are to change brought on by automation. It finds that these disruptions are already unevenly distributed and may exacerbate existing inequalities unless carefully managed.

The analysis also identifies trade-offs between job quality measures. While professional and knowledge-based roles often offer better pay and development opportunities, they are also more likely to involve unsocial hours or unpredictable schedules, particularly in England and Wales.

The findings suggest that the way work is structured, designed and managed is just as important as pay when it comes to its overall quality. The report calls for good work to be made a central policy objective and offers recommendations on how to improve job quality across the board. These include the development of localised employment strategies, greater support for workers affected by automation and a renewed focus on job design.

The report’s authors claim that the study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that while employment rates are often used as a measure of economic health, they may conceal deeper problems related to fairness, wellbeing and access to opportunity.