Recent trends in the spatial distribution of human capital: Are skill levels converging across regions in England and Wales?

In modern knowledge-based societies human capital is the single most important determinant of regional inequalities in productivity and standards living. Using a newly constructed data set that allows analysis educational attainments at different levels geography, this paper evaluates spatial degree convergence distribution across areas England Wales during second decade 21st century. Our results show was period characterised by large increase attainment skill intensity. However, growth intensity far from uniform space. particular, we find strong evidence both absolute σ-divergence β-convergence skills. Thus, even if low-skill grew on average more than other with higher start period, stochastic dominance analyses provide an unambiguous so end gap between low- high-skill had significantly widened. We present new aspatial sheds light those changes configuration over last decade. Despite implementation policies aimed reducing inequalities, many low struggled to attract talent skilled widened likely contributing persistence well-documented economic country.