Study reveals areas facing double hit in opportunities after COVID-19
Parts of the Midlands and East Anglia will be worst affected by a double blow of low social mobility and high economic decline caused by COVID-19.
That is according to a new study which has analysed data in every constituency to calculate the size of the ‘opportunity gap’: the gulf which exists in many parts of the country between those living there compared with the local opportunities for their talents to be realised.
The research identifies those communities already suffering most from a lack of social mobility that now look set to be hit hardest by job losses and recession following the coronavirus.
A former Cabinet minister says this unfair and unequal double blow requires a smarter response from a Government that has put levelling up Britain at the core of its mission.
Failure to act accordingly, says former Education Secretary Justine Greening, will leave this flagship policy in tatters and push many disadvantaged communities even further behind the rest of the UK.
Social mobility means being able to get on in life regardless of your background. In the UK it is lacking, largely due to the fact that talent is spread evenly around the country but opportunities are not.
As a result, where a person is born in the UK all-too-often dictates how far they will go in life.
Coronavirus looks set to worsen the situation, with some areas of the UK likely to recover from its impact much more quickly than others that were already in desperate need of levelling up.
Employer cutbacks, a looming recession and limited consumer confidence are among the many factors conspiring to widen the opportunity gap and further set back the government’s ambition to level up Britain.
Researchers at the Social Mobility Pledge have analysed a number of indices published by the Social Mobility Commission alongside data from the Office for Budget Responsibility on local exposure to sectors most likely to be hit by an economic downturn.
The data, gathered from all English local authority areas, suggests that the worst affected places will typically be rural, or those based in and around towns rather than big cities.
Of the 10 worst affected areas as listed in the Opportunity Gap Ranking, nine are Conservative constituencies, six are in the Midlands and none of them are in big urban conurbations.
The Opportunity Gap: 10 worst affected constituencies
Corby
South Derbyshire
Wellingborough
Melton
North Warwickshire
Tamworth
Babergh
Norwich
East Cambridgeshire
Crawley
The Social Mobility Pledge was founded by former MP and Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening in 2018 to tackle Britain’s widespread lack of social mobility.
Rotherham-born Ms Greening herself benefited from social mobility, becoming the first Secretary of State for Education to have gone to a comprehensive school and local college.
Justine Greening says: “With a million young people due to enter the workplace this summer, many are seeing their life prospects drastically downgraded, with jobs and job offers disappearing. Meanwhile, massive demand for reskilling and career shifting support is building up, putting extra pressure on employers and the further education sector. We’ve heard a lot about levelling up but too little on the detail. A piecemeal plan, or a plan for a plan, announced in July won’t cut it. The Chancellor said he would do ‘whatever it takes’ to help businesses and households get through the coronavirus health crisis. He must do whatever it takes to support these communities already behind and now even losing the local opportunities they had by setting out a comprehensive action plan now.
“Even before the crisis, progress on Britain’s poor social mobility record had been painfully slow – and non-existent in many communities. This new analysis shows that the very social mobility cold spots that were already in desperate need of levelling up, face the greatest threat of being further levelled down by coronavirus. That is unacceptable and deeply unfair.
“The government needs to come forward urgently with a cross-Government plan to target support towards these communities or risk its centrepiece objective of levelling up left in tatters. Ministers should be setting out catch up plans on education as well as retraining and employment support, targeted especially at the areas most affected by the COVID-19 double blow. COVID-19 risks a new wave of left behind communities and a generation of people who will pay the price. The rapidity with which COVID 19 swept through Britain left Governments and businesses struggling to adjust, but the economic downturn it creates and its impact is very clear and already happening. The scale of the challenge and level of ambition needed means plans need to be in place now if they’re able to make a difference from the summer onwards. There is no time to waste.”