Regional inequality traps people in poverty in all parts of England, from Newcastle to Newham, along our coasts and in our countryside.


Our regions are interconnected, but right now that’s working against all of us and driving up poverty, both in our overheating capital and in our underperforming towns and cities.


This Commission will bring our regions together to set out a new, inclusive, ambitious agenda to rebalance the country and reduce poverty across all of England.

Nick Forbes, chair of the Commission

The Commission on Poverty and Regional Inequality is chaired by Nick Forbes, former leader of Newcastle City Council. Working with policymakers and interested organisations, the Commission aims to understand the poverty that is created by the way England’s regional economies work and to set out economic policies needed to reduce that poverty.

Our diverse group of commissioners will meet over 12 months to gather evidence, identify solutions and build a coalition of support for actions that reduce poverty in every part of England.

The secretariat is provided by the Fabian Society.

Support our work

If you want to support our work on poverty and regional inequality, please get in touch with the secretariat. You can contact them here.

If you want keep up to date with the Commission’s work, join our mailing list by signing up below. The Fabian Society will be in touch through the course of the Commission.

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The Poverty and Regional Inequality Commission is supported by the Joseph Roundtree Foundation, Trust for London, the City of London Corporation, and Dartmouth Street Trust.