Comparison of disparities in pay, employment and unemployment among different ethnic groups in the UK shows that there has been little change over the past 25 years. Indeed, for black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi men and women, pay gaps with white men and women have widened. Part of the report of the Commission on Race and […]
Category: Jobs, work, pay & benefits
There is currently much debate about whether pay should keep pace with either productivity or inflation. How we measure price growth has a big influence on what we observe, shedding light on how different parts of the economy are performing. Government ministers – who last year were heralding the arrival of a high-wage economy – […]
As the UK’s job furlough scheme winds down, the government has shifted towards measures to support businesses and employees in local lockdowns. But even if Covid-19 eases, policy-makers will need to retain the capacity for selective sectoral assistance – and clarity on ‘state aid’. The Coronavirus Job Guarantee Scheme (CJRS), which was introduced in March […]
The UK government has announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will come to an end in October 2020. What has been its impact? How have similar schemes in other countries fared? Should it continue and what will happen when it finally ends? In March 2020, the UK government introduced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme […]
Millions of jobs have already been lost in the Covid-19 recession. What do we know about the kinds of workers who have been most affected? And what will be the likely effects on economic inequalities and the future prospects of people whose employment and earnings have been hit? The Covid-19 recession is likely to be […]
If demand for ‘gig economy’ work increases as companies try to save costs in the Covid-19 recession, that could allow more people to work flexibly. Alternatively, if more people enter the gig economy, perhaps because they can’t find other jobs, competition for limited ‘gigs’ could increase. Every day we hear more about the turmoil in […]
Unemployment insurance payments would be insufficient to offset the large income losses due to coronavirus and the ensuing recession. Governments are stepping in to provide much-needed income support to households that face significant declines in their monthly income. The significant decrease in productive activity as a result of the pandemic and the lockdown means that […]
Recent years have seen considerable efforts to encourage older people to stay in the labour market for longer. With the health risks from Covid-19 rising with age, the pandemic and the economic downturn may affect both their ability and desire to do so. It will be some time before the full impacts of coronavirus on […]
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was set up to encourage employers to keep their staff on during lockdown and make it easier for everyone to return to work when restrictions lift. How does the furlough scheme work and what will happen to jobs as it’s wound down? The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was introduced […]
The Covid-19 crisis has led to rising youth unemployment and the threat of longer-term ‘scarring’ effects. Policies at the local level can make a difference to young people’s lives by sharing information about support programmes, encouraging take-up and coordinating local networks. Youth unemployment is increasing across the UK – and this is likely to have […]