Policy Hub
On 7 January 2009, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published a report (Nice work if you can get it: achieving a sustainable solution to low pay and in-work poverty) which argues that the government needs to develop a coherent strategy to deal with high levels of low pay and in-work poverty so Britain can emerge from the recession as a fairer, more socially mobile society.
The report calls on the government to do more to support Britain’s five million low wage workers as it develops plans for economic recovery. IPPR contend that this will be critical for improving social mobility among the country’s low paid and working poor families.
The report finds that over half of poor children now live with a parent who works and a fifth of the workforce – 5.3 million employees – are low paid. As a consequence, low paid workers are more likely to drop out of work than higher paid workers and many get trapped in low wage, low skill jobs with little prospect of advancement.
The report recommends a number of reforms to improve opportunities for the low paid and working poor, including:
Nice work if you can get it: achieving a sustainable solution to low pay and in-work poverty