An article described the socio-economic characteristics of working-age people in the United Kingdom in 2005, based on the National Statistics socio-economic classification. Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) of working-age people worked in lower managerial and professional occupations (for example, school teachers, nurses, journalists); and the next largest category (13 per cent) worked in semi-routine occupations (for example, shop assistants, call centre workers, care assistants). Nearly one-fifth (18 per cent) had no occupation-based class because they had never worked, were long-term unemployed, or were full-time students.
Source: Caroline Hall, 'A picture of the United Kingdom using the National Statistics socio-economic classification', Population Trends 125, Autumn 2006, Office for National Statistics, Palgrave Macmillan (01256 329242)
Links: Article | ONS press release
Date: 2006-Sep
A report examined why some people did better than others, despite coming from a poorer background or having a deprived childhood. It said that, at any stage of life, someone in an adverse situation could 'turn things round' under certain conditions. The most important condition was that they met others who valued them for themselves, recognized their strengths and talents, and encouraged them to use these.
Source: Mel Bartley (ed.), Capability and Resilience: Beating the Odds, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health/University College London (020 7679 8249)
Links: Report | UCL press release
Date: 2006-Sep
A paper examined the factors leading to intergenerational income persistence among sons, measured as the association between childhood family income and later adult earnings. The mediating factors considered were cognitive skills, non-cognitive traits, educational attainment, and labour market attachment. Changes in the relationships between these variables, parental income and earnings explained over 80 per cent of the rise in intergenerational persistence.
Source: Jo Blanden, Paul Gregg, Lindsey Macmillan and Lindsey Macmillan, Accounting for Intergenerational Income Persistence: Non-cognitive skills, ability and education, DP73, Centre for the Economics of Education/London School of Economics (020 7955 7285)
Links: Paper
Date: 2006-Sep
An article examined trends in social mobility in Scotland. Although upward mobility predominated, its amount was lower in younger cohorts than in older. Nevertheless, relative mobility had not changed as upward mobility had declined, just as in earlier studies it was found not to have changed as upward mobility rose.
Source: Cristina Iannelli and Lindsay Paterson, 'Social mobility in Scotland since the middle of the twentieth century', Sociological Review, Volume 54 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2006-Aug
A think-tank report said that despite the billions of pounds spent to reduce poverty and expand life chances, Britain was, in many respects, more unequal and less socially mobile than when the Labour government came to power in 1997. Redistribution through the tax and benefits system would not, on its own, deliver lasting results.
Source: Jennifer Moses, Climbing the Ladder: How can Britain become more socially mobile?, CentreForum (020 7340 1160)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jul
A survey found that there were an estimated 2.67 million people who regarded themselves as working class even though they were in the top fifth of the population in terms of earnings; and 1.84 million people who said they were middle class, but who were in terms of earnings in the bottom fifth of the population. In 1966, 30 per cent of the population had regarded themselves as middle class, compared to 43 per cent in 2006.
Source: William Nelson, Middle Britain, Future Foundation (020 7250 3343)
Links: Summary | Times report | Guardian report
Date: 2006-May
A paper examined the role of childhood health, cognitive skills, non-cognitive traits, educational attainment, and labour market attachment in explaining the relationship between parental income and children?s earnings as adults.
Source: Jo Blanden, Paul Gregg and Lindsey Macmillan, Explaining Intergenerational Income Persistence: Non-cognitive skills, ability and education, Working Paper 06/, Centre for Market and Public Organisation/University of Bristol (0117 954 6943)
Links: Working paper
Date: 2006-May
A government Minister called for a greater focus on social mobility to be at the centre of the government's public service reform agenda. He said that there should be a specific government target on social mobility.
Source: Speech by Jim Murphy MP (Cabinet Office Minister) 4 April 2006, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Speech | Cabinet Office press release
Date: 2006-Apr
A think-tank report examined the complex links between social and geographical mobility (or lack of mobility). It sought to ascertain the role and impact of both place and ethnicity in individuals life chances, and the degree to which these created, or removed, barriers to social mobility. It also examined some of the numerous policies that had sought to tackle deprivation and/or unequal life chances, through targeting specific communities - defined either by their geographical location, their ethnicity, or both.
Source: Simone Delorenzi (ed.), Going Places: Neighbourhood, ethnicity and social mobility, Institute for Public Policy Research, available from Central Books (0845 458 9911)
Links: Summary | Platt paper | Lupton paper
Date: 2006-Mar
A report (based on research in Scotland) said that education policy by itself contributed little to the rate at which people moved between social classes.
Source: Cristina Iannelli and Lindsay Paterson, Education and Social Mobility in Scotland in the 20th Century, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Summary | ESRC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2006-Feb
A report said that almost one-third (32 per cent) of MPs had attended private schools, which educated just 7 per cent of the population.
Source: The Educational Backgrounds of Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords, Sutton Trust (020 8788 3223)
Links: Report
Date: 2006-Jan