[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-belfast":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":13,"pillars":14,"ranks":52,"averages":57,"peers":59,"rankLine":97,"countyIsDistinct":65,"content":98,"contentMeta":130,"dataFrom":133,"dataTo":134,"dataChangedAt":135},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":7,"region":8,"councilName":9,"activeCompanies":10,"score":11,"halfRange":12},"belfast","Belfast","Northern Ireland","northern-ireland",null,18377,1088,17,361,[15,26,35,43],{"key":16,"name":17,"colourVar":18,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":21,"halfRange":22,"rank":23,"rankOf":13,"outperforms":24,"topPercent":25},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,1120,28,13,96.4,5,{"key":27,"name":28,"colourVar":29,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":30,"halfRange":31,"rank":32,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":34,"topPercent":25},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",1076,21,14,360,96.1,{"key":36,"name":37,"colourVar":38,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":39,"halfRange":22,"rank":40,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":41,"topPercent":42},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",1070,20,94.4,10,{"key":44,"name":45,"colourVar":46,"compositeWeight":47,"shown":20,"score":48,"halfRange":49,"rank":50,"rankOf":13,"outperforms":51,"topPercent":40},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1078,15,67,81.4,{"national":49,"region":53,"county":56},{"rank":54,"of":55},1,11,{"rank":54,"of":55},{"county":58,"region":58},1012,[60,61,66,69,73,77,81,85,89,93],{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":11,"isCurrent":20},{"slug":62,"name":63,"score":64,"isCurrent":65},"lisburn-and-castlereagh","Lisburn and Castlereagh",1015,false,{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":58,"isCurrent":65},"antrim-and-newtownabbey","Antrim and Newtownabbey",{"slug":70,"name":71,"score":72,"isCurrent":65},"mid-ulster","Mid Ulster",1005,{"slug":74,"name":75,"score":76,"isCurrent":65},"mid-and-east-antrim","Mid and East Antrim",989,{"slug":78,"name":79,"score":80,"isCurrent":65},"fermanagh-and-omagh","Fermanagh and Omagh",983,{"slug":82,"name":83,"score":84,"isCurrent":65},"causeway-coast-and-glens","Causeway Coast and Glens",982,{"slug":86,"name":87,"score":88,"isCurrent":65},"armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon","Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon",979,{"slug":90,"name":91,"score":92,"isCurrent":65},"derry-city-and-strabane","Derry City and Strabane",974,{"slug":94,"name":95,"score":96,"isCurrent":65},"ards-and-north-down","Ards and North Down",972,"15th of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":99,"intro":100,"pillarCommentary":104,"compareSummary":109,"faqs":110,"metaDescription":129},"Belfast ranks 15th of 361 UK local authorities on the Local Growth Index, with a composite score of 1,088, placing it 88 points above the UK benchmark. It leads all 11 Northern Ireland authorities and sits firmly in the top 5% nationally. Its strongest result is in Innovation, where it ranks 13th in the UK.",[101,102,103],"The composite score is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","Each pillar score is averaged across Belfast's 18,377 active companies, with corporate groups counted once. This means the index reflects how active local companies are on each measure, not how large the local economy is, which allows a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.","The UK as a whole scores 1,000 on every pillar and on the composite, so Belfast's score of 1,088 sits 88 points clear of that benchmark. The likely range of 1,071 to 1,105 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":105,"scaling":106,"investment":107,"esg":108},"Innovation measures patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, presence in innovative sectors and coverage of IS-8 sectors. Belfast ranks 13th of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 1,120, which is 120 points above the UK benchmark and places it in the top 5% nationally. This signals that its companies show notably stronger innovation activity across these measures than the vast majority of UK local authorities.","The Scaling pillar captures whether companies qualify as scaleups, their headcount growth over recent years and accelerator attendance. Belfast ranks 14th of 360 authorities here, with a score of 1,076, some 76 points above the UK benchmark. Its companies are adding staff and reaching growth thresholds at a rate that puts Belfast comfortably in the top 5% in the UK.","Investment covers equity raisers, the value of equity raised and first-time raisers, all over the last five years. Belfast scores 1,070 on this pillar, 70 points above the UK, and ranks 20th of 360 authorities, placing it in the top 10%. That result indicates its companies attract external equity investment at a meaningfully higher rate than the UK as a whole.","The ESG pillar reflects clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and not-for-profit proxies. Belfast scores 1,078 here, 78 points above the UK benchmark, and ranks 67th of 361 authorities. While still well ahead of the national benchmark and in the top 20%, this is Belfast's relatively weakest pillar compared with its top-five standings in Innovation and Scaling.","The chart below shows how Belfast's composite score of 1,088 compares with its Northern Ireland neighbours, including the nearest authority, Lisburn and Castlereagh, which scores 1,015.",[111,114,117,120,123,126],{"question":112,"answer":113},"What is Belfast's Local Growth Index score?","Belfast scores 1,088 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 88 points above the UK benchmark of 1,000. It ranks 15th of 361 local authorities nationally.",{"question":115,"answer":116},"How does Belfast compare with other Northern Ireland authorities?","Belfast ranks 1st of the 11 Northern Ireland authorities, scoring 76 points above the regional score of 1,012. The nearest authority is Lisburn and Castlereagh, which scores 1,015.",{"question":118,"answer":119},"Which pillar is Belfast's strongest?","Innovation is Belfast's strongest pillar, with a score of 1,120 and a national rank of 13th out of 361 authorities. That puts it in the top 5% of all UK local authorities on this measure.",{"question":121,"answer":122},"What does the Local Growth Index measure?","The Local Growth Index measures the characteristics of a place's companies across four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG. It does not measure economic output or GDP.",{"question":124,"answer":125},"How many companies are included in Belfast's score?","Belfast's scores are based on 18,377 active companies, with corporate groups counted once rather than as each of their registered entities.",{"question":127,"answer":128},"What does the likely range mean for Belfast's score?","The likely range of 1,071 to 1,105 shows how much the composite score could move with a slightly different mix of companies. Scores are only published when this range is narrow enough to rely on.","Belfast ranks 15th of 361 UK local authorities on the Local Growth Index, scoring 1,088, 88 points above the UK benchmark. Top in Northern Ireland.",{"source":131,"cached":20,"generatedAt":132},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:32:44",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]