goal is to encourage the establishment of new businesses by offering tax concessions, infrastructure incentives, and reduced regulations to attract investments and private companies, therefore creating jobs in areas without pre-existing businesses. The UK government supports businesses in enterprise zones by providing a business rate discount of up to £275000 over a five-year period, granting financial allowances to businesses making large investments in plant and machinery, and granting simpler planning regulations to speed up the establishment of new businesses. In addition, there is the strategy of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs), set up in England, 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help identify local economic priorities and lead economic growth and job creation within local areas. By determining businesses' needs and encouraging companies to invest, jobs will be created, further boosting the economy. An example of this is the Lancashire LEP, formed in 2011 (following a period of factory closures and job losses due to deindustrialisation) with the goal of improving business growth and investment. As of 2021, Lancashire LEP has secured a £1 billion growth plan involving over 50 initiatives, such as £20 million funding for the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre North West, and £17 million funding for the Lancaster Health Innovation Campus. All these are attempts at bridging the north-south divide. See also Danelaw Geography and identity in Wales Lloegyr London fiscal surplus M53 divide North Britain and South Britain North–South divide North–South divide in the United Kingdom Northern Independence Party River Trent Stereotype References Bibliography Further reading Geography of England . . Economic geography Population geography English society