Social Mobility Commission
@smcommission
Official feed of the Social Mobility Commission. We monitor progress towards improving social mobility in the UK & promote social mobility in England.
The rise in NEETs has been linked to a "crisis of opportunity". To explore solutions, commissioner Rob Wilson chaired the Westminster Insight's NEETs Conference, bringing together education, healthcare, and welfare leaders to address the estimated 1m young people currently classed as NEET.
Commissioner Baroness Tina Stowell met with this year's interns in Parliament to discuss career pathways, background diversity, and how the Commission is breaking down barriers to opportunity across the UK.
If you aren't on our newsletter list, you're missing out on the latest social mobility insights and reports. 📈 Get the data before anyone else does. Sign up in seconds: https://bit.ly/4v4004P
With UK NEET rates hitting 1 million the 2026 #SocialMobilitySymposium tackled the critical link between welfare, youth employment, and social mobility.
Investment in opportunity: where should it go? We asked the public which investments would improve opportunities for people to succeed. Which would you choose? 1️⃣ Apprenticeships 2️⃣ Schools 3️⃣ Local job creation 4️⃣ Universities 📊 Show results
Our report on access to extra-curricular activities has been cited in the new Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Social Connection Framework. 'An Unequal Playing Field' sets out that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds were least likely to participate in these activities.👇
Extra-curricular activities aren't just hobbies, they can be engines for social mobility. 🚀 Research shows that participation at age 14 leads to higher marks and a lower chance of becoming NEET. Yet low-income children who could benefit most are the least likely to have access.
We turn data into action by working with Government and employers. Our recent impact includes shifting the debate to prioritise L1-3 apprenticeships, providing policy support for the English Devolution Bill, and empowering policymakers via our Data Explorer tool.
New data published by @educationgovuk has revealed over 32,000 “Phantom NEETs”, with thousands of teenagers at risk of missing out on support. This is why we’re calling for more prevention and early intervention for ‘at-risk’ youth by utilising regional data and identifying underlying risk factors.
Did you know - 1.01 million young people, more than 1 in 10 young people (people aged 16 to 24 years) in the UK, are currently not in education, employment, or training. 📉 Source: ONS #SocialMobility
How is the West Midlands Combined Authority using our data to help make the West Midlands a place where everyone feels included and can achieve their full potential? Traditional social mobility measures can be one-dimensional and not reflect the reality of diverse communities.
“Every young person deserves the chance, not just to just to get by, but to thrive and achieve their full potential”. Steve Rotheram (@lcrmayor.bsky.social) shares his incredible journey from bricklayer to Mayor of Liverpool City Region and why he’s passionate about social mobility.
Missed the 2026 #SocialMobilitySymposium? The complete digital archive is now live on YouTube. Catch up on every expert panel, from place-based economic solutions to breaking down barriers for economically inactive NEETs 📺 Link in comments
Former Secretary of State Lord Blunkett shares his reflections on why a unified, evidence-based approach is critical to improving social mobility, and the essential role of the Social Mobility Commission.
"Social Mobility isn’t just about university access and elite jobs - and social mobility shouldn’t mean that you have to change your social class to improve your life.” Thank you to Angela Rayner MP for her speech at our #SocialMobilitySymposium!
Huge thanks to everyone who joined us for our #SocialMobilitySymposium! It was an inspiring day with insightful debates on how to best shape the future of welfare and NEET support policies. The conversation continues. 🤝
The 2026 #SocialMobilitySymposium is live from the @thersaorg.bsky.social! We are delighted to welcome Angela Rayner MP to deliver this morning's opening keynote address, exploring the intersection of welfare systems and opportunities for NEET youth. Watch live in the comments
Applications are open for the AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize for emerging tech ventures to create new solutions to support social mobility. Delivered by EY Foundation and Social Tech Trust, and us with support from @microsoft.com, HSF Kramer, EY, Fieldfisher, and LinkedIn #AIForOpportunity
Andy Burnham recently discussed the importance of the SMC's work in changing how leaders and policymakers approach social mobility. At our Symposium next week we'll bring together voices from different sectors to debate how to improve opportunity in UK.
"Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity isn’t. ⚖️" Ryan Wain shares his journey from a single-parent family in Liverpool to Executive Director at Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. But he’s calling for a shift - to move past rags to riches stories & focus on mobilising talent everywhere.
Our Deputy Chair Resham Kotecha joined Coop to discuss @suttontrust.bsky.social's report, 'The Good Life: the relationship between social mobility and happiness.’ which uses data from our State of the Nation & Perceptions of Social Mobility in the UK reports. 📊
1 Week until our annual Symposium! Next Tuesday we will bring together policymakers, parliamentarians, experts and others to explore some of the most important social mobility issues in the UK, including the welfare system and the dramatic rise in the number of NEET young people.
The #1 strongest predictor of children’s educational outcomes? Parental education. This is true even when other factors such as income, occupation and social class are considered. Studies show even modest gains in education levels can lead to meaningful benefits.
Led by Deputy Chair Commissioner Rob Wilson, our team just wrapped up an informative visit to Tees Valley!
For too long, the story of social mobility has only been about a fortunate few leaving their communities for elite universities. This #SocialMobilityDay, we’re sharing a different narrative because #StoriesMatter.
Great to see our Deputy Chair Resham Kotecha on the panel at #LondonTechWeek discussing the vital link between social mobility & tech with Claire Thorne (Tech She Can), Nick Harrison (@suttontrust.bsky.social) & Andrew Elliot (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.).
How much parents earn has a big impact on children’s life chances. But money isn’t everything. Parental aspirations are a strong predictor of academic success, even when accounting for different socio-economic backgrounds. How else do parents support #SocialMobility?
Our independence allows us to ✅ ensure social mobility remains a national priority regardless of political change ✅ provide a trusted view for Parliament and employers. ✅challenge the consensus with impartial evidence and maintain authority across the political spectrum
"Social mobility is about making sure that everyone, regardless of where they were born, can succeed."" 🏠✨ @laurenedwardsmp.bsky.social highlights how our research is driving evidence-based policymaking in Parliament and beyond.
Our Deputy Chair Rob Wilson was at the @ukhouseoflords.bsky.social for the launch of the #MapleReview report! We know entrepreneurship is a vital engine for social mobility - but opportunity remains unevenly distributed across the UK.