Staffordshire Moorlands scores 943 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 319th of 361 local authorities and 57 points below the UK benchmark. Its strongest result comes on ESG, where it sits just above the UK average, while Innovation and Investment are the areas furthest behind the national benchmark. The composite score falls 25 points below Staffordshire as a county and 22 points below the West Midlands region.
The composite score for Staffordshire Moorlands is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.
Each pillar score is an average across the district's active companies, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a place with fewer but more active businesses can score just as highly as a larger economy, making this a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.
The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so Staffordshire Moorlands sits a little below that benchmark. The likely range of 924 to 962 shows how much the composite score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; scores are only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.
West Midlands
Each dot shows the pillar score on a scale where the UK as a whole scores 1,000, marked by the line. The paler band is the likely range. The composite weights Innovation, Scaling and Investment 30% each and ESG 10%.
How Staffordshire Moorlands's composite score of 943 is built up, pillar by pillar.
Innovation
925
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−75 points against the UK · Likely range 898–952 · 30% of the composite
Innovation captures patents, academic spinout status, R&D grant value, membership of innovative sectors and coverage across the IS-8 sectors. Staffordshire Moorlands ranks 334th of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 75 points below the UK benchmark, which places it among the lower quarter nationally and suggests its companies have relatively limited exposure to patenting, R&D grant activity and the innovative and IS-8 sector classifications.
Tagged with any industry or buzzword on a curated list of innovative sectors, for example chips, biotechnology, quantum, AI, data, SaaS, FinTech and CleanTech. About 2.5% of companies.
Tagged with any of the eight IS-8 sectors: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, professional and business services, and defence. About 18% of companies.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Scaling
955
Well below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−45 points against the UK · Likely range 917–993 · 30% of the composite
The Scaling pillar measures scaleup designation, headcount growth and accelerator participation. At 45 points below the UK benchmark and ranked 325th of 360, Staffordshire Moorlands scores below the national average on this pillar, indicating that its companies are adding staff and achieving high-growth signals at a somewhat lower rate than the UK overall.
Annualised three-year employee growth rate over the latest four years of accounts, including group accounts, for companies with five or more employees at the start (capped). All other companies count as zero.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Investment
926
Below average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
−74 points against the UK · Likely range 888–964 · 30% of the composite
Investment covers whether companies have raised equity in the last five years, the value of that equity and whether any raises were first-time deals. Ranking 264th of 360, Staffordshire Moorlands is 74 points below the UK benchmark here, though it outperforms roughly a quarter of authorities, suggesting equity activity among its companies is limited but not among the very lowest nationally.
Whether the company's first equity deal ever was in the last five years. A first-time raiser always counts as an equity raiser too.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
ESG
1,013
Average nationally
800UK 1,0001,700+
+13 points against the UK · Likely range 984–1,042 · 10% of the composite
The ESG pillar draws on signals across clean energy involvement, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance indicators, and not-for-profit proxy status. Staffordshire Moorlands scores 1,013 on ESG, 13 points above the UK benchmark, ranking 177th of 361 authorities. This is the district's strongest pillar and the only one where it exceeds the national average, placing it in the upper half of all authorities on this measure.
Is limited by guarantee without share capital, a rough indicator of non-profit status.
We publish a score for each pillar, not for the measures inside it. The percentage beside each measure is how much it counts towards the pillar score. Select the lock to see the companies behind a measure on the Beauhurst platform.
Compared to Staffordshire
The chart below places Staffordshire Moorlands alongside its Staffordshire neighbours, where it ranks 9th of 9 authorities in the county with the next closest, Tamworth, scoring 986.
What is Staffordshire Moorlands' score on the UK Local Growth Index?
Staffordshire Moorlands scores 943, placing it 319th of 361 local authorities and 57 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.
How does Staffordshire Moorlands compare to the rest of Staffordshire?
It ranks 9th of 9 authorities within Staffordshire and scores 25 points below the county average of 968.
Which pillar is strongest for Staffordshire Moorlands?
ESG is the strongest pillar, with a score of 1,013, which is 13 points above the UK benchmark and ranks 177th of 361 authorities.
Which pillar is weakest for Staffordshire Moorlands?
Innovation is the lowest-scoring pillar at 925, placing the district 334th of 361 authorities and 75 points below the UK benchmark.
How many companies are counted in Staffordshire Moorlands' scores?
The scores are based on 3,456 active companies, with corporate groups counted once rather than as individual registered entities.
What does the UK Local Growth Index actually measure?
It measures the characteristics of a place's business economy across four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG. It is not a measure of economic output or GDP; it reflects how active local companies are across these dimensions relative to the UK as a whole.
Explore the data behind the index
Every score on this page is built from real, named company activity, patent filings, fundraisings, spinouts and scaleups. Book a call to see the data behind any authority's score, and how Beauhurst can support your work.
