Telecoms giant BT has given a massive £455m boost to the West Yorkshire economy in the past year, says an independent study.

The report by Regeneris Consulting puts the economic impact of BT’s activities across Yorkshire at £1.12bn.

BT, which acquired rival EE to strengthen its position as a leading regional employer, supported about 14,300 jobs in Yorkshire – 5,500 in West Yorkshire – through direct employment, spending with contractors and suppliers and spending by employees.

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Almost 6,600 people are directly employed by BT and its EE business in Yorkshire – equal to one in eight employees working in the region’s IT and communications sector. Of these, about 2,550 work in West Yorkshire. About £290m was spent with suppliers in Yorkshire and the Humber, including £116m in West Yorkshire.