Gross value added (GVA) - economic growth per head of population (c16)

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  GVA (Gross Value Added) measures the value of goods and services an area produces - essentially, how much the local economy creates. Per head divides that total by the number of people living in the area.

• GVA growth per head shows whether the economic output per person is rising or falling.
• This measure uses the income approach which allocates income to the region in which the economic activity takes place. The data in this time series is rebased and recalculated each year at current basic prices when new results are produced. 

Why this matters

• Measuring GVA growth per head is important because it shows whether economic output is increasing faster than the population, giving a clearer picture of how prosperity is changing for each person. Rising GVA per head indicates stronger productivity, higher earnings potential, and a more resilient local economy, while flat or falling GVA per head can signal that growth isn’t translating into improved living standards.
• GVA is widely used as a core indicator of local economic performance because it reflects the value available to share between workers and businesses.

Latest performance

The latest results shows that GVA growth in North Lanarkshire remains positive suggesting the local economy continues to grow, and does so at a greater rate than the national average.

• The latest results show a 12.5% increase in GVA per head in North Lanarkshire from 2022 to 2023 which is an improving trend following year on year growth of 7% recorded in the previous year (Figure 16b). The 12.5% growth in the latest results is the highest growth level over the recorded data.
• Looking at the baseline for The Plan for North Lanarkshire, GVA per head of population at current prices shows that North Lanarkshire has seen a rise of 43.4% from £21,198 in 2016 to £30,394 in 2023 (Figure 16a), compared to an increase of 34.6% nationally over the same period.
• The extent of growth in North Lanarkshire shows significant movement from a position of -3.1% during the pandemic to the latest results of +12.5% in three years (nationally this position moved from -5.3% to +9.1% over the same period).
• Figure 16b displays the % change in economic growth from one year to the next  - the historical trends for the last 10 years and beyond not only show positive movement (which has continued over the period of The Plan for North Lanarkshire), it also shows economic growth in North Lanarkshire has steadily remained in line with, or above, the national average. 

There is a time lag in the availability of these results with the most recent for 2023 being published in April 2025.  However, the period covered by the most recent results clearly reflects the impact of the pandemic - with the dip in North Lanarkshire in 2020 (which mirrored the national position) followed by successive years of growth. 

Impact of delivering The Plan for North Lanarkshire

Increasing GVA per head means that the economy is generating more value for each person, signalling rising productivity and higher potential incomes. This strengthens the local labour market, attracts investment, and supports better‑quality jobs. 

As GVA per head adjusts for population size, higher GVA also shows that growth is translating into improved living standards rather than being diluted by demographic change.  As output per person rises, the tax base grows, giving public services more capacity to invest in local priorities.