Social Mobility
Although social class or background isn't one of the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010, we felt it was important to devote a section of this guide to the discrimination and disadvantages experienced by people because of their socio-economic background. This is a wide-ranging theme, which could include education, income, housing, family, employment, geographic location and accent, and of course may often be interlinked with other themes in the EDI guide, such as race, gender and disability.
Assessing and measuring social mobility is complex, but there are various charities and other organisations which regularly publish reports and data. For example, the Social Mobility Commission publishes regular 'state of the nation' reports and indices. Their 2020 report, The Long Shadow of Deprivation revealed that in England, people from disadvantaged families can earn up to twice as much as people from similarly disadvantaged families, depending on where they grew up, even in neighbouring areas (for example Bradford and Harrogate). Their 2021 State of the Nation report found that 62% of those in professional jobs are from privileged backgrounds.
In this section, you'll find information resources relating to these themes. These include books, films, archives, and social media, and they examine social mobility issues from many perspectives, including history, society, politics, culture, literature, and more.
We hope you find the resources here and on our reading list informative and interesting, and as always, we welcome your suggestions for books and other resources to include.
FOCUS on Class in the UK
Reading List
Take a look at our EDI Reading List for Social Mobility.
Please get in touch if you have any recommendations to add to this list - whether already available in the Library or not!
Archives and Special Collections
This section highlights physical and digitised archives at Newcastle University and elsewhere which cover themes relating to social mobility.
- Alnwick Union Workhouse ArchiveContains detailed financial records which reveal the weekly consumption of different commodities from bread and beef to split peas and soap.
- Bosanquet (Bernard and Helen) ArchiveHelen Bosanquet, née Dendy (1860-1926), was a member of the 1909 Poor Law Commission. Her notebook contains diary notes on Poor Law Commission meetings attended by her in 1909.
- Chaplin (Sid) ArchiveSid Chaplin (1916 – 1986) was a working-class writer publishing at a time when the literary scene was dominated by the middle/upper class. His work is concerned with working-class life, and strongly reflected his formative years in the pit villages of County Durham, his time in the coal industry and his other interests, particularly the history and culture of the North-East. He's credited as being an influencer of the 50s/60s 'kitchen sink social realism'.
- Common (Jack) ArchiveJack Common (1900 – 1968) was a Tyneside-born working-class writer, writing at a time when publishing was dominated by the middle and upper class. His writings were concerned with aspects of working-class life, including Kiddar’s Luck, his fictionalised childhood autobiography, published in 1951.
- Election leaflets in the Trevelyan (Charles Philips) CollectionLabour Party leaflet advocating improved working conditions.
- Election leaflets in the Trevelyan (Charles Philips) Collection #2Labour Party leaflet promising better living and working conditions.
- Looking Back, Moving Forwards (talk by Lady Plowden in 1982)This talk was given as the introduction to the Department of Education and Science Short Course on the Education and Welfare of Gypsy, Circus and Fairground Children in 1982. The talk highlighted some of the milestones which had been passed in the previous decade in getting Travellers into education. Ref. BP/9/9/7
- Spence Watson/Weiss ArchiveThis collection consists of papers relating to the Newcastle-born politician and social and educational reformer, Robert Spence Watson (1837-1911) and, to a lesser extent, his wife Elizabeth (1838-1919), a Quaker who was involved with many of her husband's projects, in particular with educational projects such as the Industrial or Ragged Schools.
- The Condition and treatment of children employed in mines and collieries of the UKThis book describes the treatment, description of labour and working conditions of the employment of children in mines in the United Kingdom. Ref: 19th C. Coll 331.3822 CON
- Archives relating to labour historyList compiled by the Society for the Study of Labour History
- Labour History archiveBased at the People's History Museum in Manchester, this includes archives of working class organisations and politicians, as well as the national Labour Party. You can search the collections online and see some digitised images.
- LSE Collections relating to welfare and social securityOverview of special collections and archives relating to welfare and social security held at London School of Economics Library.
- Mass Observation Online 1937-1967 This link opens in a new window
A major resource for British social history from 1937-1967, it contains material generated by the Mass Observation social research organisation, including day surveys, diaries and subject directives from 1937-1967, a wide range of themed topic collections, together with other material such as images and essays.
- Mass Observation Project 1981-2009 This link opens in a new window
A major resource for British social history from 1981 - 2009, it contains responses to the Mass Observation project's directives (questionnaires) sent out to volunteers who were asked to report on their lives and opinions. Topics covered are wide-ranging and include political and social themes of the period, plus insights into everyday life.
- Modern Records Centre: archives relating to working lifeSelection of digitised resources from Warwick University's Modern Records Centre, including materials on the 1926 General Strike and other trades union publications and campaigns.
- Oral histories of industry and employmentOverview of oral histories held by the British Library relating to working life, industry and unemployment, some of which are available online.
- Oral histories of social policyOverview of British Library oral histories relating to social policy and welfare, some of which are available online.
- StatistaStatista is a collection of over 1.5 million datasets on a huge range of contemporary topics. If you're looking for data to help you research inequality, it's a great place to start.
- Trades Union Congress LibraryBased at London Metropolitan University, this library has materials relating to trades unions and labour history from the UK and other countries.
- UK Data ArchiveUK's largest collection of social, economic and population data.
- Working Class Museum LibraryAims to tell the story of Britain's working classes from the beginning of industrialisation to the present day.
Social Mobilty - ACTION
Newcastle University is committed to Social Justice, including a commitment to poverty, welfare and social class.
The PARTNERS programme has been running since the year 2000 and is one of the most well-established supported entry routes to higher education of its kind. Over 6,500 students have studied at Newcastle University via the PARTNERS programme.
Newcastle University is the first university in the North East to run the Pathways to Law and Pathways to Medicine programmes, in partnership with the Sutton Trust.
The Student Union's 93% Club Newcastle is a national social mobility initiative dedicated to improving the university experience of students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
The North East Child Poverty Commission is hosted at Newcastle University and works to address poverty and it's effects.