UK social mobility hampered by Covid-19

In addition to this, more than one in two people (63%) think the virus has increased the gap between social classes.

The data highlights a significant problem for the government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda, with a number of young people having seen their plans for progressing scuppered by the coronavirus:

• 36% of people aged 18-24 had their plans to save up for a deposit on a house negatively affected by the virus
• 28% of people aged 18-24 had their plans to go to university negatively affected by the virus
• 36% of people aged 18-24 had their plans to leave their parental home negatively affected by the coronavirus

Sara Willcocks, Head of External Affairs at Turn2us, said:

“The Prime Minister can be in absolutely no doubt about the momentous task he faces in ‘levelling-up’ left behind areas of the UK. The faith many voters placed in him to deliver improved regional equality seems to be at serious risk.

“The coronavirus has clearly had a significant impact on social mobility and the government must invest in opportunities and remove barriers if it is serious about giving everyone a fair opportunity to thrive in life. We urge Number 10 to reverse the planned cut to Universal Credit in September if they want to reverse this worrying trend.”

Turn2us is a national poverty charity which provides grants, support and information to people facing financial insecurity in the face of a life changing event. The charity is calling on the government to provide immediate financial support to people who will need time to recover from the pandemic. This includes:

• Keeping the £20 uplift to Universal Credit and extending it to legacy benefits
• Investing in Local Welfare Assistance Schemes
• Increasing child benefit by at least £10 per child per week