New research by the London School of Economics (LSE) has revealed that wealthier kids in the UK are 35% more likely to become high earners than bright poor kids. The research, led by LSE’s Abigail McKnight on behalf of the UK’s Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission—a public, non-governmental body—claimed to expose the reality of a ‘glass floor’ in British society that fails to nurture poorer but bright children as they become adults.
The research found that social background and family income have significant effects on the likelihood of being a high earner. Parental education level and attendance at a private school or a grammar school all have a significant independent impact over the impact by academic attainment. Better-off, wealthier parents are successful in helping to protect their children from downward mobility making it harder for children from poorer background to succeed.
Alan Milburn, Chairman, Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission commented, “No one should criticise parents for doing their best for their children. That’s what we all want. But Britain is a long way from being a meritocratic society when the less able can do better in life than the more able.”
He added, “It’s a social scandal that all too often demography is still destiny in Britain. The government should make its core mission the levelling of the playing field so that every child in the country has an equal opportunity to go as far as their abilities can take them.”
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
