To clarify questions of what inequality is, why it is a problem, and what ought to be done about it, we asked professional philosophers to kick off the review by addressing the...
Most people say, when prompted, that they are concerned about inequalities. But the degree of concern is highly variable, and the concern is not matched by a consensus about...
What has been happening to economic inequalities in the UK and internationally?
Economic inequalities are at the forefront of today’s public debate. The recent financial...
To think about inequality today we need to think about inequality in the past. This is true for economic inequalities – inequalities of income and wealth – and even more...
Inequalities of all types are fundamentally political, and politics itself is unequal. Those who are better off in terms of economic resources and social connections, and those...
In the decades since the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Equality Act were passed in the UK, women have exceeded men’s educational attainment, they have entered the workplace in...
Diversity and disadvantage
The UK is becoming increasingly ethnically diverse: over 20 per cent of the population reports being from a minority ethnic group. While many within...
Migration is a topic of much interest and debate. But what do we know about the relationship between immigrants and inequality?
Do countries like the UK attract the most...
Health is a major component of wellbeing. It is difficult to enjoy and fully participate in family, community and working life without good health. But how does the UK fare in...
Geographical inequalities in labour market outcomes
Evidence on attitudes to inequality in the UK published by the IFS Deaton Review last year (Benson, Duffy, Hesketh and...
Families play a fundamental role in nurturing and supporting children, yet not all family backgrounds are equal.
In recent decades the growing diversity, fragility and...
Many life outcomes – from education and work, to health and crime – have their roots in development that takes place in the first few years of life. The foundations for...
Education is one of the most important predictors of people’s life chances. Better-educated people are more likely to be in work and tend to earn more. At the age of 40,...
The labour market has changed dramatically across most developed economies over the last four decades. These changes are characterised by widening earnings inequality, a rise...
Much of the structure of income inequality arises from the structure and behaviour of firms. If the labour share falls then more money is being distributed to the owners of...
Greater openness to international trade has had significant impacts on the structure of the UK and other advanced economies. The role that this greater openness has played in...
The strikingly high levels of income concentration at the top in the UK have drawn increasing attention in the public policy debate. The top 1% of adults received 15% of fiscal...
The UK government spends around £100 billion each year on working-age benefits predominantly for those with low incomes or disabilities. Broadly, these payments protect...