Key findings UK levelling up 14 Azets SME Barometer Report Summer 2021 North-South divide visible as optimism stronger in the southern half of the country. In the UK, there is optimism for recovery and growth across all SMEs and regions. Government support for Covid relief has been emphatically welcomed and impactful and businesses are looking forward to the lessening of lockdown restrictions. However, our findings highlight the challenges the UK still faces in levelling up. Businesses in Scotland, the North East, North West, Yorkshire and Humberside are less optimisticthan their counterparts further South about the economicoutlook in general. Moreover, on a personal wellbeing level, a North-South divide in England is also visible, lending weight to the conclusions of the recent Marmot report 1. A full quarter of SME leaders surveyed in the North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humberside have experienced a medically diagnosed, work-related health condition in the past year. This compares with just 8% who have in London and the South East. 1 https://www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-reports/build-back-fairer-in-greater-manchester-health-equity-and-dignified-lives Contents Contents Contents Contents download report download report Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets Foreword Summary of findings About the study Key findings Economic outlook Business outlook UK levelling up Opportunities and threats Priorities ahead Investment and borrowing Government support International trade and Brexit Personal impact About Azets