The 13 million working-age families across the poorest half of the country that make up ‘Unsung Britain’ are widely courted by politicians of all persuasions. No party can win elections without their votes, and the country cannot succeed without their needs being met. And yet they are poorly understood, and often neglected despite their political salience. By misunderstanding this group’s changing circumstances, opportunities and challenges, politicians and policy makers risk missing chances to improve their lives, gain their trust, and making Britain a better place to live in. Over the past year, the Resolution Foundation has undertaken a programme of work to address this, showing how the lives of Unsung Britain have changed in recent decades and will continue to do so in the years ahead. Our work will show how Unsung Britain’s family circumstances are changing, how they earn, save and spend their income, and how they’ve responded to cost of living challenges. We will examine the types of paid jobs they do, and the kind of unpaid work they carry out as families navigate the wider pressures of rising ill-health and disability in an ageing society, and their knock-on effects on caring responsibilities. To mark the culmination of our Unsung Britain programme of work, supported by JPMorganChase, the Resolution Foundation is publishing a major new book – combining analysis and policy work with in-depth conversations to fully understand the needs of lower income families – and hosting a major conference to discuss their issues. We will hear from leading experts on topics including cost of living pressures, and how rising ill-health interacts with the labour market, as well as keynote speeches from Ken Murphy (Chief Executive of Tesco) and a senior politician. The event will be open for people to physically attend at Central Hall, Westminster, alongside being broadcast via YouTube and the Resolution Foundation website. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel before and during the event via Slido. Copies of the book will also be handed out at the conference
