How disadvantage is inherited

The UK lags behind other EU members on social mobility, scoring lower than countries like Italy and Spain. Results from a study by the Office of National Statistics suggest that this may be the result of both “cycles of poverty” and “cycles of low education.” In the UK, there is a stronger link between the income of parents and that of their children than in many other developed countries. Economic mobility is relatively low in the UK, and educational mobility is, too. What explains the link? The ONS analysis suggests that a parent’s economic situation influences their children’s future earnings mainly through its effect on the child’s educational attainment. Read More