Most commentators agree that, despite Britain’s economic uncertainty, the labour market remains robust. But go below these national headlines and explore the labour market in different cities across the country and a more complicated picture emerges.

Take unemployment. While the number of people officially recorded as unemployed has fallen to a record low, our research suggests that in many places there are lots of people outside the workforce that could be in work if given adequate support. This is most common in post-industrial cities in northern England. In Liverpool, 52,000 people are in this situation. Not giving them adequate support is bad for them and for Liverpool’s prosperity.