Internet businesses in North West deliver 38,000 jobs

THE INTERNET is an economic powerhouse that is driving the economy in the North West through jobs, businesses and output, new Internet Association analysis reveals today.

The new research by Internet Association highlights the value the internet brings right across the UK economy. Nationally, the internet economy contributes approximately 400,000 jobs, 80,000 businesses, and £45 billion in Gross Value Added to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

These equate to about 1.2 percent of UK jobs, 3.1 percent of UK enterprises, and 2.3 percent of UK GDP.

The new research also gives, for the first time, a view of how important the internet economy is to the North West. IA, using a proprietary measurement approach, finds that the estimated number of internet sector jobs in this region is 38,000, the estimated number of internet sector businesses is 7,900 and the estimated value-added generated from the internet sector is £4.6 billion.

The findings showed:

In the North West, the constituency with the highest number of internet sector jobs is Manchester Central which has approximately 5,000 internet sector related jobs.

The constituency with the largest number of internet sector related businesses in the North West is also Manchester Central (1,800 businesses). 

Manchester Central is also the constituency with the highest concentration of internet sector businesses in this region, where nearly 11 percent of all local businesses are internet sector businesses.

Garston and Halewood and Altrincham and Sale West have the second and third highest shares of internet sector businesses, with 7.4 percent and 3.6 percent of all local businesses respectively.

The largest contributor to value-added in the North West is Manchester Central, with £420 million in value-added contributions. Second is Salford and Eccles (£121 million) and third is Tatton (£104 million).

UK Executive Director Daniel Dyball said: “These figures highlight the true value of the internet sector to communities in the North West. From Workington to Weaver Vale, the internet is a major economic engine in the region.”

The findings of the report also showed:

The internet sector provides nearly 400,000 jobs across the UK

The average number of internet sector jobs per constituency is 590

The median number of internet sector jobs across constituencies is 330

The internet sector provides approximately 80,000 businesses in the UK

Dyball continued: “The positive figures and tangible benefits are only set to grow as technology develops, but the Government must ensure the UK has the right policies to allow the internet to thrive.

"We are keen to work with the new Government to make the UK one of the best internet economies in the world.”

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