Success by North West

The North-West of England is the third largest region in the UK, with a population of over 7 million people, containing some of the country’s most important cities – namely Manchester and Liverpool.  The region was once Britain’s industrial heartland, with canals and later railways linking Lancashire’s textile mills to the port of Liverpool, from where they would be exported to the farthest corners of the world.

The decline of British heavy industry during the 1980s hit the North West’s economy hard, leading to unemployment, strife and malaise. However, confidence is improving and Manchester has been touted as an economic success story in recent years with local companies such as the Co-op Bank seeing large scale investment, leading to a surge in roles at all levels in financial services and banking. The improvements are not just confined to the big cities either, with one of the North West’s biggest success stories based in Cheshire. 

This growth and confidence has been passed on to the region’s accountants; Marks Sattin’s salary survey reveals that 76% are expecting a pay rise next year and 87% are feeling more secure in their jobs than last year. Salaries are also attractive in the region, with managers generally earning between £40-55,000, and directors over £70,000.

The North West looks set to prosper even more in the future, with the new proposed high speed rail project placing the region at the heart of the ‘Northern Powerhouse’, and the possibility of Manchester becoming a hotbed of future technologies.