[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-welwyn-hatfield":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":55,"averages":63,"peers":65,"rankLine":102,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":103,"contentMeta":135,"dataFrom":138,"dataTo":139,"dataChangedAt":140},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"welwyn-hatfield","Welwyn Hatfield","Hertfordshire","East of England","east-of-england","Welwyn Hatfield Council",7618,989,15,361,[16,27,37,46],{"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,1001,24,107,70.4,33,{"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",1028,27,60,360,83.3,20,{"key":38,"name":39,"colourVar":40,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":41,"halfRange":42,"rank":43,"rankOf":34,"outperforms":44,"topPercent":45},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",940,28,197,45.3,75,{"key":47,"name":48,"colourVar":49,"compositeWeight":50,"shown":21,"score":51,"halfRange":52,"rank":53,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":54,"topPercent":45},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,984,19,264,26.9,{"national":56,"region":57,"county":60},133,{"rank":58,"of":59},14,45,{"rank":61,"of":62},5,10,{"county":51,"region":64},991,[66,71,74,78,82,83,86,90,94,98],{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":69,"isCurrent":70},"stevenage","Stevenage",1030,false,{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":31,"isCurrent":70},"st-albans","St Albans",{"slug":75,"name":76,"score":77,"isCurrent":70},"dacorum","Dacorum",994,{"slug":79,"name":80,"score":81,"isCurrent":70},"north-hertfordshire","North Hertfordshire",990,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":84,"name":85,"score":51,"isCurrent":70},"east-hertfordshire","East Hertfordshire",{"slug":87,"name":88,"score":89,"isCurrent":70},"three-rivers","Three Rivers",977,{"slug":91,"name":92,"score":93,"isCurrent":70},"hertsmere","Hertsmere",969,{"slug":95,"name":96,"score":97,"isCurrent":70},"watford","Watford",957,{"slug":99,"name":100,"score":101,"isCurrent":70},"broxbourne","Broxbourne",938,"133rd of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":104,"intro":105,"pillarCommentary":109,"compareSummary":114,"faqs":115,"metaDescription":134},"Welwyn Hatfield ranks 133rd of 361 UK local authorities, with a Local Growth Score of 989: 11 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000, 2 points below the East of England score and 5 points above the Hertfordshire score. It stands out most on Scaling, at 1,028; its biggest opportunity is ESG, at 984.",[106,107,108],"Welwyn Hatfield's scores are built from the area's 7,618 active companies, each measured on the same 16 characteristics.","The Local Growth Index scores every UK local authority on four pillars (Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG) using company-level data from the Beauhurst platform. Each measure is averaged across the area's companies, so a score reflects how active the typical local company is rather than how large the local economy is.","Every score is set against a fixed UK benchmark of 1,000, the score of the UK as a whole, so Welwyn Hatfield's 989 puts it 11 points below the UK. Its likely range, 974–1,004, shows how much 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":110,"scaling":111,"investment":112,"esg":113},"Welwyn Hatfield sits in the upper half nationally on Innovation, ahead of 70.4% of authorities. The Innovation pillar measures how rooted local companies are in research and new technology: granted patents filed in the last 20 years, university spinouts, R&D grant funding won in the last five years, and the share of companies in innovative sectors or the eight IS-8 growth sectors.","Scaling is Welwyn Hatfield's strongest pillar relative to other authorities, scoring 1,028 (28 points above the UK) and outperforming 83.3% of authorities nationally. The Scaling pillar looks past the startup phase: how many local companies are scaleups, how fast established companies are adding staff, and how many have attended an accelerator.","Welwyn Hatfield sits in the lower half nationally on Investment, ahead of 45.3% of authorities. The Investment pillar captures equity finance: how many local companies raised equity in the last five years, how much they raised, and how many raised for the first time.","ESG is Welwyn Hatfield's clearest opportunity, scoring 984 (16 points below the UK). It currently outperforms 26.9% of authorities. The ESG pillar tracks clean energy and other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and the share of companies set up on a not-for-profit basis.","Welwyn Hatfield scores 2 points below the East of England score, and 5 points above the Hertfordshire score.",[116,119,122,125,128,131],{"question":117,"answer":118},"What is Welwyn Hatfield's Local Growth Score?","Welwyn Hatfield has a Local Growth Score of 989, ranking 133rd of 361 authorities nationally. The UK as a whole scores 1,000. Its pillar scores are Innovation 1,001, Scaling 1,028, Investment 940, ESG 984.",{"question":120,"answer":121},"How is the Local Growth Score calculated?","Each company is measured on 16 characteristics, which are averaged across the area and compared with a fixed UK baseline. The results are combined into four pillar scores, and a composite weighted 30% each to Innovation, Scaling and Investment and 10% to ESG, on a scale where the UK scores 1,000.",{"question":123,"answer":124},"What is Welwyn Hatfield's strongest economic pillar?","Relative to other authorities, Scaling is Welwyn Hatfield's strongest pillar at 1,028, placing Welwyn Hatfield in the top 20% of UK local authorities on that pillar.",{"question":126,"answer":127},"Where does Welwyn Hatfield have the most room to improve?","ESG is Welwyn Hatfield's weakest pillar relative to other authorities, at 984, 16 points below the UK benchmark. It is the clearest opportunity for local economic development.",{"question":129,"answer":130},"How does Welwyn Hatfield compare to the rest of Hertfordshire?","Welwyn Hatfield ranks 5th of the 10 authorities in Hertfordshire, scoring 5 points above the county score. The next-highest-scoring authority in the county is Stevenage, on 1,030.",{"question":132,"answer":133},"How many active companies are based in Welwyn Hatfield?","Welwyn Hatfield has 7,618 active, non-dormant companies with their head office there. Every measure in the Local Growth Index is averaged across these companies.","Welwyn Hatfield scores 989 on the UK Local Growth Index, where the UK is 1,000, ranking 133rd of 361 local authorities. Powered by Beauhurst data.",{"source":136,"cached":21,"generatedAt":137},"template","2026-10-20 10:48:45",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]