[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-st-helens":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":55,"averages":62,"peers":65,"rankLine":83,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":84,"contentMeta":116,"dataFrom":119,"dataTo":120,"dataChangedAt":121},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"st-helens","St. Helens","Merseyside","North West","north-west","St. Helens Council",6556,962,15,361,[16,27,37,45],{"key":17,"name":18,"colourVar":19,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":22,"halfRange":23,"rank":24,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":25,"topPercent":26},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,945,21,280,22.4,100,{"key":28,"name":29,"colourVar":30,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":31,"halfRange":32,"rank":33,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":35,"topPercent":36},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",1014,30,97,360,73.1,33,{"key":38,"name":39,"colourVar":40,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":41,"halfRange":42,"rank":43,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":44,"topPercent":26},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",913,27,309,14.2,{"key":46,"name":47,"colourVar":48,"compositeWeight":49,"shown":21,"score":50,"halfRange":51,"rank":52,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":53,"topPercent":54},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1004,23,203,43.8,75,{"national":56,"region":57,"county":59},252,{"rank":23,"of":58},35,{"rank":60,"of":61},3,5,{"county":63,"region":64},961,973,[66,71,74,75,79],{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":69,"isCurrent":70},"liverpool","Liverpool",971,false,{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":12,"isCurrent":70},"knowsley","Knowsley",{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":76,"name":77,"score":78,"isCurrent":70},"wirral","Wirral",955,{"slug":80,"name":81,"score":82,"isCurrent":70},"sefton","Sefton",938,"252nd of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":85,"intro":86,"pillarCommentary":90,"compareSummary":95,"faqs":96,"metaDescription":115},"St. Helens scores 962 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 252nd of 361 local authorities and 38 points below the UK benchmark. Its strongest result is on Scaling, where it sits in the top third of all authorities. Investment is the area where it trails the UK most sharply.",[87,88,89],"The composite score for St. Helens is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","The index measures the characteristics of active companies in each authority, with corporate groups counted once. Because scores are averaged across those companies rather than summed, a smaller authority with highly active businesses can rank above a much larger one, making this a fair comparison between authorities of very different sizes.","The UK as a whole scores 1,000, so St. Helens at 962 sits just below that national reference point. The likely range of 947 to 977 shows how far the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":91,"scaling":92,"investment":93,"esg":94},"Innovation captures patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant values, and whether companies are tagged to innovative sectors or IS-8 sectors. St. Helens ranks 280th of 361 authorities on this pillar, scoring 945 and sitting 55 points below the UK benchmark, outperforming only 22.4% of authorities. That places it toward the lower end of the national distribution on the indicators of innovative activity.","Scaling measures whether companies are high-growth scaleups, their annualised headcount growth over recent years, and whether they have attended an accelerator. At 1,014, St. Helens sits 14 points above the UK benchmark and ranks 97th of 360 authorities, outperforming 73.1% of all areas. This is the authority's strongest pillar, pointing to comparatively active employment growth among its companies.","Investment covers whether companies raised equity in the last five years, the amounts raised, and whether any completed their first-ever equity deal in that period. St. Helens ranks 309th of 360 on this pillar, scoring 913 and falling 87 points below the UK benchmark. This is the authority's weakest pillar and the area with the most distance from the national average.","The ESG pillar reflects activity across clean energy, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and a not-for-profit proxy. St. Helens scores 1,004, fractionally above the UK benchmark by 4 points, and ranks 203rd of 361 authorities. Performance here is broadly in line with the national picture.","The chart below compares St. Helens against its Merseyside neighbours, where it ranks 3rd of 5 authorities with a score of 962, just 1 point above the county average of 961.",[97,100,103,106,109,112],{"question":98,"answer":99},"What is St. Helens' score on the UK Local Growth Index?","St. Helens scores 962, placing it 252nd of 361 local authorities and 38 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":101,"answer":102},"How does St. Helens compare to other Merseyside authorities?","St. Helens ranks 3rd of 5 authorities in Merseyside, with a score of 962 that is 1 point above the county average of 961.",{"question":104,"answer":105},"Which pillar is St. Helens strongest on?","Scaling is St. Helens' strongest pillar, where it scores 1,014 and ranks 97th of 360 authorities, outperforming 73.1% of all areas.",{"question":107,"answer":108},"Where does St. Helens underperform most on the index?","Investment is its weakest pillar, scoring 913 and ranking 309th of 360 authorities, placing it 87 points below the UK benchmark.",{"question":110,"answer":111},"How many companies are counted in St. Helens' score?","The score is based on 6,556 active companies, with corporate groups counted once rather than as individual registered entities.",{"question":113,"answer":114},"What does the likely range mean for St. Helens' score?","The likely range of 947 to 977 shows how far the composite score could move with a slightly different mix of companies. Scores are only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.","St. Helens scores 962 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 252nd of 361 authorities and 38 points below the UK benchmark. Scaling is its strongest pillar.",{"source":117,"cached":21,"generatedAt":118},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:58:03",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]