3x More Senior Officials and Directors Live In Chelsea Than Average Area

Competition for high-paying senior roles is intense, and most people agree location is a key factor. But does where you live affect your career prospects? And if so, what does that mean?

Moneyzine.co.uk has analysed the most recent census data to discover where the most senior positions are held. The findings show that such positions are relatively evenly distributed across the country - yet also extremely concentrated in specific areas.

Unpacking the census

Census data from England and Wales shows a wild variation in the concentration of senior positions. Amongst the local authorities with the highest proportion of Managers, Directors or Senior Officials relative to their population are Chelsea and Kensington (26.6%), Elmbridge (24.5%), Richmond Upon Thames (23.6%) and Westminster (22.5%).

These areas are all relatively close-by, with all but Elmbridge being in London. But we see far more geographical diversity when it comes to the poorer performing areas. Amongst the local authorities with the lowest concentration of senior roles are Kingston Upon Hull (7%), Blaenau Gwent (7.7%), Middlesborough (7.8%) and Sandwell (7.9%).

This brings out an interesting tension. Because while areas with a very high concentration of senior positions are generally fixed around London, regional data shows a far more even spread.

Is regional bias the problem?

One of the most common threads when discussing location bias is regional bias - the idea that the South of England provides disproportionately more professional opportunities (along with various economic advantages) in comparison to the North. And while the data we analysed does reflect this to some extent, the distribution of managerial and directorial roles is surprisingly flat.

Comparing 10 regions across England and Wales, the average concentration of such roles is just 12.23%. While areas like South East (14.88%) and London (14.55%) have a higher concentration, and areas like Wales (10.51%) and the North East (9.88%) underperform, the difference between the best and worst areas is less than 5 percentage points.

Clearly, this does not mean regional disparities can be dismissed. But it does mean that the narrative which tells those in economically poorer regions that they are far less likely to find a managerial or directorial position is hyperbolic - and potentially even damaging.

This data shows that inequality in professional opportunities is less about broad regional divides - and more about specific areas of high concentration or deprivation. Chelsea is just an hour from Barking, yet has more than 3x more senior officials.

Jonathan Merry, CEO of Moneyzine.co.uk