To relocate or not to relocate?

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) commissioned Economic Insight to study why firms of different types choose to relocate some or all of their business functions in the modern UK economy.

We have undertaken three key forms of research: a comprehensive literature review; in-depth interviews with 32 firms that relocated within the last five years and 8 other stakeholders (trade bodies; academic etc.); and an econometric analysis of the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR). We find that several factors, from the availability of labour and access to transport, to the perception of an area and quality of life, affect relocation decisions.