Intra- and Inter-Regional Commuting : Assessing the Role of Wage Differentials

The study aims to explain intra- and inter-regional mobility in the UK between 2004 and 2014, by examining the role played by regional wage differentials, and individual- and region-specific characteristics. We use a two-stage model: first, we generate individual predicted regional wage differentials; then, in the mobility equation, we study its effect on cross-regional mobility. We verify that wage differentials influence asymmetrically male and female workers, indicating the existence of a cross-regional commuting gender gap which arises from different sensitivities to non-monetary costs. The propensity to commute longer durations to other regions and the role of domestic responsibilities are also studied