Social mobility

Employers pledge support for action on social mobility

More than a hundred leading employers, including Morgan Stanley, British Airways and Bloomberg, have pledged support for a ten-point social mobility action plan.

Free school meals recipients struggle to earn a living wage

Fewer than a quarter of people (23%) in England who used to receive free school meals were earning above the living wage by the age of 25.

Half from disadvantaged backgrounds find recruitment unfair

New research has revealed 50% of jobseekers from lower socio-economic backgrounds feel they are missing out on employment opportunities because the recruitment process is "unfair” towards them.

Social mobility rises up the business agenda

The Social Mobility Foundation’s Employer Index 2021 has seen a surge in participation, with over 200 companies competing for recognition, compared to 119 in 2020 and 125 in 2019.

Ex-offenders a “massive untapped resource” in talent crisis

Employers are losing out on a huge talent pool by not considering people with criminal records for employment.

Recruiting more people with disabilities won't happen by accident

A fifth of working age people in the UK have a disability – yet only half of disabled people are in employment, according to recent figures. That's despite the fact that organisations considered...

Social care tax disproportionately affects low-income workers

National Insurance contributions will rise by 1.25% to pay for England's social care system.

AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot earned 86 times more than a key worker during the pandemic

The annual pay of FTSE 100 chief executives still equates to more than what a UK worker would earn in a lifetime, despite the rate falling during the pandemic.

Can accent discrimination become a legal reality?

While some accents relate to race (a protected characteristic), within the UK there are large regional variations. Should these also be protected?

Lower socio-economic backgrounds still underrepresented in law

People from lower socio-economic backgrounds are hugely underrepresented in the legal profession, research from The Bridge Group and The Sutton Trust has found

Employers must close skills gap between work and school

Employers must do more to stop young people missing out on work opportunities due to not having the right skills, Business in the Community (BITC) has said