Mon, 27 Jan 2014London is sucking in talent from the rest of the UK, creating a brain drain in the rest of the country, a new report warns.

The Centre for Cities report ‘Cities Outlook’ finds that since 2010, 79% of private sector jobs growth has occurred in the capital. Britain’s next nine largest cities accounted for just 10% of all new private sector jobs, says the report.

The report says: “The data indicates that London does appear to suck in talent from the rest of the country.”

Alexandra Jones, chief executive officer of Centre for Cities, adds: “London is leading the recovery, and its long-standing economic strength continues to attract talented workers. London’s strength is a huge asset, but we need to make more of our other cities’ potential.”

The study found that between 2010 and 2012, more than 215,000 private sector jobs were created in London, four-fifths of the total for the whole of the UK.

And that while many of those who come to London leave the capital in their 30s, many continue to work in the capital, commuting in from counties such as Sussex, Kent and Essex.

The think-tank reveals that between 2009 and 2013, 80,000 graduates, aged between 22 and 30, who moved cities headed for London, compared with 31,600
who left London, a net inflow of more than 48,000.

The top three cities for job creation are;

                         Private sector jobs    percentage change      public sector    percentage
                              Change                                                            jobs change      change

London           216,700                       5.7                                   66,300               6.0

Edinburgh      23,100                        11.0                                  -3,000               -3.5

Birm’ham      15,400                         2.2                                    -9,300               -3.0

Bottom three

Sheffield        -7,500                         -3.2                                    2,700                 2.4

Glasgow       -7,800                         -2.1                                   -6,800                -4.1

Bristol           -13,900                        -4.9                                  -500                   -0.5