Labour market Getting Britain working How to boost workforce participation in the 2020s Tuesday 21 February 2023 Fast rising participation in the workforce was an important driver of growth in the 2010s, helping to offset the impacts of a productivity and wage stagnation. But that progress has gone into reverse in the wake of the pandemic, with older workers in particular exiting the workforce, prompting the government to launch a major review. … Continued READ MORE
Labour market enforcement· Labour market Do we care about carers? The experiences of social care workers Thursday 26 January 2023 Social care is a large and important part of the UK economy, and will be a growing one with an ageing population and rising ill-health. But it is often also a lower paid one, with funding challenges, staff shortages and a history of risks around minimum wage underpayment. Workers wrestle with these challenges, alongside the … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Low pay Clocking in and out Is choice or circumstance driving part-time work among low earners? Wednesday 30 November 2022 Working hours, not just hourly pay rates, are a key determinant of living standards. Historically, men have tended to work more paid hours than women, with working hours for both sexes increasing substantially between the ages of 18 and 25. But over recent decades these trends appear to be weakening, with increasing numbers of young … Continued READ MORE
Living standards· Labour market· Wealth & assets· Housing· Intergenerational Centre Mortgaged millennials to bitterly cold boomers Assessing the cost of living crisis across generations Monday 14 November 2022 Rising energy bills are with us and rising mortgage bills are on the way. While wages are falling far behind inflation, debates rage about whether benefits or the state pension should do the same. Older workers have not returned to the labour market post-Covid, while younger workers may suffer most from the unemployment rise the … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Inequality & poverty Unfair treatment Assessing the scale of workplace discrimination, and efforts to stamp it out Tuesday 8 November 2022 Anti-discrimination laws have been with us since the 1960s, but despite this discrimination against workers based on protected characteristics such as race, gender and disability remains prevalent in many workplaces today. This can affect who gets which job, and means the world of work feels very different for different people. And while there are routes … Continued READ MORE
Economy 2030· Labour market· Pay Power, pay and profits What do shifts in firm and worker power mean for wages? Thursday 7 July 2022 Firms create value – at least the successful ones do. But who benefits, the firm’s owners or workers, and by how much, is often up for grabs. That’s why power in our labour market matters. It doesn’t just affect the level of wages, but the inequality of those wages too. The power of workers – … Continued READ MORE
Demographics· Labour market The new NEETs? Understanding the changing nature of youth worklessness Monday 13 June 2022 High levels of young people not in employment, education or training was a major social and economic concern in the 1990s. Decades of concerted policy action to reduce numbers across Britain has seen the scale of the problem shrink, but it has not gone away. Under the positive headlines, some forms of worklessness are on … Continued READ MORE
Ventures· Labour market· Skills From platforms to promotions How technology can boost young people’s career prospects Wednesday 18 May 2022 The way young people enter the job market from education can have a marked effect on their future prospects. Economic crises are a particularly tough time to start a career, and while the Job Retention Scheme prevented mass unemployment during the pandemic, young people still face huge challenges in terms of rising insecurity and finding … Continued READ MORE
Living standards· Labour market· Economy and public finances Catch 2022 What does the end of a global pandemic and the start of a European conflict mean for Britain’s economic outlook? Monday 14 March 2022 The end of the Covid economic crisis is finally in sight. But it has swiftly been replaced by a terrifying conflict in Europe that threatens lives in Ukraine and livelihoods far beyond its borders. The UK’s immediate post-Covid economy thankfully doesn’t include the lengthy dole queues that normally follow a recession. But it instead faces … Continued READ MORE
Economy 2030· Labour market Changing jobs? How economic change affects the world of work Thursday 6 January 2022 The labour market has changed substantially over the past 60 years – from fewer factories and more health services, to working with new machines or being replaced by them. In the decade ahead it will change again thanks to Brexit, Covid-19 and the net zero transition. But the relationship between how the labour market as … Continued READ MORE
Economy 2030· Labour market Back to the future What comes next for the UK’s post-pandemic labour market? Tuesday 23 November 2021 At the onset of the pandemic, there were widespread concerns about catastrophic levels of unemployment in the face of lockdowns. But extending the furlough scheme has kept a lid on unemployment, while the reopening of the economy this summer has sparked a ‘jobs-rush’. As the UK labour market enters a new phase, it is important … Continued READ MORE
Firms· Labour market No shame, no gain? Do firms’ reputational concerns affect their compliance with labour market laws? Tuesday 9 November 2021 In-person event and live interactive webinar. Register to receive access link. Businesses are responsible for ensuring they treat their workers fairly – from providing safe workplaces to paying staff the wages they’ve earned. But not all firms meet these standards at all times and, in the age of social media, public outcry at poor behaviour … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Living standards· Labour market The final furlough? Family finances in the Covid recovery Thursday 1 July 2021 The UK economy is bouncing back after the deepest downturn in over three centuries. That bounce is being felt in the labour market too, with furlough rates falling and some firms even reporting challenges hiring. However, almost three million people are still not working, while unemployment may rise later in the year. While the UK’s … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Low pay· Pay· Living Wage Earning back better The future of low pay in Britain Monday 7 June 2021 Britain’s low-paid workers have been at the epicentre of the Covid-19 crisis – as key workers unable to work from home during lockdown, or as those most likely to have lost their jobs as our low-paying social sectors – from hospitality to retail – have closed. As the economy reopens, low-paid workers should be at … Continued READ MORE
Living standards· Labour market· Brexit & trade· Economic growth The UK’s decisive decade Launch of The Economy 2030 Inquiry Tuesday 18 May 2021 The UK is on the brink of a decade of change. In the 2020s, the country will need to not just recover from Covid-19, but also emerge from the EU, urgently transition towards a Net Zero future, and adapt to transformative technology. Instead of simply being the post-pandemic period, this is the decisive decade in … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market· Wellbeing and mental health A hidden Covid crisis? Assessing the pandemic’s impact on young workers and their mental health Thursday 13 May 2021 Many young people have had to put their lives and livelihoods on hold over the past year. They have experienced the biggest employment hit, and a big deterioration in their mental health. But the link between these two issues of job insecurity and poor mental health is rarely discussed. As the country reopens, understanding the … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Monetary policy· Labour market Recovering from long Covid Understanding the pandemic’s labour market legacy Thursday 18 February 2021 The Job Retention Scheme has provided vital support for millions of workers, and kept a lid on job losses. But with the country in a renewed lockdown, the combination of rising unemployment and long lasting furlough means an unprecedented number of people who have done little to no work in nearly a year. Previous recessions … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Brexit & trade· Migration A new era What do Brexit and Covid mean for migration and the UK labour market? Thursday 17 December 2020 On 1 January 2021, freedom of movement between the EU and the UK will end, and the UK’s new points-based immigration system will begin. This will mean major change for sectors of the economy – from fruit-picking to social care – heavily reliant on lower-paid migrant labour. And even before Britain ‘takes back control’ of … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market· Economy and public finances Coronanomics: Challenges facing policy and governance Tuesday 8 December 2020 Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has been the toughest test for many governments in generations. From suppressing the virus and ensuring healthcare systems can cope, to dealing with the fallout in terms of support for businesses and households, governments are facing huge policy battles, and on multiple fronts. This has placed great pressure on our … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market Coronanomics: Challenges from the unequal impact on the labour market Monday 7 December 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost everyone’s working life, but in very different ways – from remote working, to being furloughed and losing work altogether. The speed and scale of rising unemployment in many countries has been unprecedented. And with the crisis far from over, unemployment is likely to get far worse before it gets … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market Covid-insecure How safe are our workplaces during the pandemic? Tuesday 3 November 2020 Some types of workplace have long been recognised as hazardous, but the Covid-19 pandemic means new health and safety risks at work are now widespread. While people are once again being urged to stay away from their workplace if possible, that is not an option for millions of workers in shops and warehouses, schools and … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market Jobs, Jobs, Jobs Where has six months of this crisis left workers, and what’s coming next Wednesday 28 October 2020 As unemployment rates start to rise six months into this crisis, there are countless human stories of how workers have been affected. Some workers have had to adjust to lower pay or fewer hours, while others are worried about life after furlough, or have switched jobs or lost their livelihoods altogether. In order to understand … Continued READ MORE
Labour market Is Britain working? The jobs market in a time of crisis Tuesday 15 September 2020 Live interactive webinar. From the early surge in Universal Credit claims to the sharp drop in employees in HMRC payroll data and redundancies among big name brands on the High Street, there is mounting evidence that Britain is in the midst of a jobs crisis. And with the Job Retention Scheme due to end this … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Labour market The full monty Facing up to the scale of the COVID-19 jobs crisis Monday 29 June 2020 The Foundation will present highlights from a major new report into the nature of our jobs crisis and recommendations for how policy makers should respond, before we hear from leading experts on how to tackle high unemployment. READ MORE
Monetary policy· Low pay· Labour market· Pay· Economic growth Working Britain What does 2020 have in store for job prospects and pay packets? Friday 10 January 2020 Friday 10 January 2019, 9.30-10.45am, Resolution Foundation offices, Westminster 2019 was a good year for the labour market – the area of the economy that matters most to households. Employment reached a new record high, while pay growth finally approached pre-crisis levels. The strong performance of the UK labour market is all the more remarkable … Continued READ MORE
