The North East pays £6.3bn in income tax. What could its mayors keep?
HMRC figures put a value on fiscal devolution, but the rules for sharing revenues remain undecided.
Region
North East business news
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North East Mayor targets 10,000 jobs in 10-year culture and creative plan
North East Creates brings together £104m of previously announced investment across the region's creative and cultural sectors.
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What the UK-India trade agreement could mean for the North East
A £70m government estimate rests on car and machinery makers, while the Great North mission looks for wider links.
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British Business Bank allocates £12m to North East innovation cluster
PXN Ventures, Mercia Ventures and Maven Capital Partners will deliver the funding through the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).
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First phase of Sunderland studio approved with £38.5m in public funding
Studio One will provide three sound stages for film and high-end TV productions, alongside production accommodation and a backlot.
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Newcastle University launches devolution institute with Andy Haldane as first fellow
The two-year appointment will support research, evidence inquiries and government engagement.
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North East is UK's joint-fastest-growing economy, ONS figures show
GDP per head also rose in 2024, while the UK figure was unchanged.
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Sage chief questions UK data-centre push and says AI prize lies in applications
Steve Hare says Britain should focus on turning artificial intelligence into products and services rather than trying to compete across every layer of the technology.
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Who speaks for the North East at No10 North?
The region has formal representation in government but who shapes its case before the meetings begin?
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£25.9m Business North East framework approved to simplify business support
Regional hub and seven council services will form a single support system from January 2027.
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Technology Long Read · 15 min read
North East AI Growth Zone: projects, funding and progress
The region’s plans cover data-centre projects, AI skills, business adoption and support for local technology companies.
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Financial services Long Read · 20 min read
The major investment funds backing North East companies
A guide to regional and national investors, from early-stage equity to growth capital and repayable loans.
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Long Read · 11 min read
The North East mayor and business: what devolution means for North East companies
A practical assessment of the mayoral agenda from a business perspective.
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Newcastle Long Read · 10 min read
What Newcastle can learn from Manchester's rise
Newcastle wants to become England's most successful regional capital. Manchester shows what that takes, but not how to copy it.
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Nissan to invest £170m to build new Kicks hybrid crossover in Sunderland
Kicks will become Sunderland’s fourth model as Nissan expands its electrified European line-up.
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The North East is looking for its next voice of business
The Mayoral Strategic Authority is recruiting a new Business Advisory Council chair to sit on the Mayor’s Cabinet.
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Gateshead Long Read · 8 min read
How Vertu Motors built its second act around what happens after the car sale
Aftersales generated 46 per cent of the Gateshead group’s gross profit in the year to February 2026.
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Sunderland Long Read · 8 min read
Why Hays Travel kept buying into the high street
From the back of a babywear shop in Seaham to Thomas Cook’s collapse, Hays Travel has kept growing by widening what a travel agency can be.
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North East mayors face choice over overnight visitor levy
Kim McGuinness backs the proposed power, while Ben Houchen says he will not use it in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
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Deep tech and science Long Read · 7 min read
The North East's role in the UK government's £7.8bn space plan
How the North East is already equipped to contribute to Britain's new space strategy.
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Government launches Northern 500 alongside proposed £150m scale-up fund
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness chairs the Great North partnership that will lead the network.
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The North East has gained people from the rest of the UK for nine years running
In the early 2010s, the flow ran the other way.
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Mayoral planning powers test what devolution is for
Major planning decisions are moving from councils towards the mayoral tier.
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Technology Long Read · 7 min read
The North East has AI infrastructure. The value has to be built locally.
Data-centre capital is arriving, but the bigger prize is companies, skills and productivity.
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North East start-ups fall and insolvencies rise against the national trend
R3's Q2 data put the region third-worst in the UK for new company formation.
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North East mayors are getting business rates revenue, not business rates reform
The Chamber's case for deeper reform is separate from what mayors are actually being given.
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Fiscal devolution has arrived and the North East is already testing what it means
A public row between Ben Houchen and the government shows how much discretion the money actually buys.