What's happened, and what next
What happened
In 2025, median full-time pay for jobs located in Portsmouth was £38,815 while median pay for Portsmouth residents was £36,022 — the city hosts better-paid jobs than its residents hold. Professional, scientific and technical work makes up 4.3% of Portsmouth employee jobs against 9.6% across England. Public sector jobs rose to 26.9% of the total against 17.9% nationally, while private-sector employee jobs fell 8.4% from their 2018 peak. Of businesses born in Portsmouth in 2019, 29.9% survived five years against 38.3% in England.
Why it matters
The resident/workplace pay gap means the benefit of Portsmouth's better-paid jobs partly leaves the city each evening. The professional-services deficit is the concrete form of the "where are the high-value jobs?" question. And a business survival rate eight points below England compounds: fewer firms reach the size at which they employ significant numbers.
What's being done
Solent Freeport tax and customs site designations, the university's Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and incubation activity, and the Local Plan's employment land allocations at Tipner West. None has a published evaluation showing an effect on these measures.
Has it worked?
Not on these measures. Resident pay remains below England, the professional-services share has not closed, and business births and survival have both weakened.
What happens next
The 2026 ASHE release, and business demography figures maturing enough to give a five-year survival rate for the 2020 and 2021 cohorts.
Cost
Not applicable as a single figure.