Wednesday 11 May 2022

Whose economy?

Exploring people’s experiences as workers, consumers and citizens

We all experience the economy in a myriad of different ways – from the jobs we do, to the things we buy and the communities we live in. The good, the bad and the ugly of those experiences are important considerations, not just for individual economic policy decisions, but in setting the objectives of our economic strategy. What people get paid matters, but so does what they value. How people feel about change, as well as the status quo, is also crucial as a decade of significant change – driven by a cost of living crisis, the aftermath of Covid and Brexit, and the net zero transition – gets underway.

How do workers feel about their jobs? What holds them back from making big changes to their working lives, such as moving jobs or industries? How does that vary between high and low earners? To what extent do people want their consumption choices to drive change – from buying sustainable products, to supporting employers who pay their workers a decent wage? And how should people’s experiences of the wider economy be integrated into thinking about the UK’s economic strategy?

The Resolution Foundation is hosting an in-person and interactive webinar – as part of The Economy 2030 Inquiry, funded by the Nuffield Foundation – to debate and answer these questions. Following a presentation of the key highlights from new Resolution Foundation research on individuals’ experiences as workers, consumers and social citizens, we will hear from leading experts on what that should mean for how the UK navigates economic change and attempts to renew its economic strategy.

The event will be open for people to attend physically, 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.