West Yorkshire area
As the biggest contributor to the UK economy in the Northern Powerhouse, with a proud cultural and sporting heritage, our region is a modern and inspiring place to live, work and settle down.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority comprises the West Yorkshire local authority areas of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield, plus the City of York. This area is the UK’s largest economic area outside London with a population of over 2.3 million.
We work closely with the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership to represent the interests of the region nationally and internationally and make West Yorkshire a strong, successful economy where everyone can build great businesses, careers and lives.
A modern and inspiring place
From the bustling global cities of Leeds and Bradford to historic York, cultural treasures such as the Piece Hall and Yorkshire Sculpture, and towns sat amid the breath-taking moors and landscapes of Pennine Yorkshire, our region is a modern and inspiring place to live, work and settle down.
We’re a region with a very proud cultural and sporting heritage. West Yorkshire has given the world artists like Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney and Damien Hirst, while our landscape has inspired literary figures like the Brontë sisters, Ted Hughes and Alan Bennett.
We’re also a force to be reckoned with in athletics, producing more than our fair share of international sporting gold medal-winners, including Olympians Lizzie Armitstead, Jonathan and Alistair Brownlee and Nicola Adams.
A global economic powerhouse
In 2018, the West Yorkshire economy generated £69 billion – biggest contributor to the UK economy in the Northern Powerhouse and home to some of the UK’s leading industries.
We’re the largest hub for banking, legal and professional services outside of London, and an international leader in digital technology, healthcare innovation and advanced manufacturing and engineering. (In fact, two thirds of all the drinking water in New York City runs through valves manufactured right here in West Yorkshire).
Our strong road, rail and air links to the rest of the country and beyond mean we’re ideally-placed for trade and business. We’re also home to the largest cluster of higher education institutions outside London, with globally-ranked universities training the skilled graduates of tomorrow.