People’s understanding of levelling up even appears to have declined over the past year, with the share of people who do not know what it means rising by 14 per cent.

Levelling up: Will it make a difference?

The poll, run between November 30 and December 13, also found that three in five people were not following levelling up plans. Just nine per cent were following developments “very closely”.

Half of people surveyed think the current amount of money the Government spends in their local area is too low and that levelling up will make little difference. Only seven per cent think it will lead to more money being spent in their communities.

Lisa Nandy, the shadow levelling up secretary, told Politico: “It’s no surprise people don’t know what levelling up means. After two years, the Government can’t even agree what it means.

“Ask any place in the country and you hear a common story. We need better jobs, transport and opportunities. 

“Unless the levelling up White Paper delivers that, it’s just another meaningless slogan from a government that is fresh out of ideas.”

A spokesman for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “Our ambitious plans for levelling up will transform the economic geography of every corner of the UK, and our White Paper will set out how we will achieve this.”