Working 9 to 5, is it a way to make a living?
As we approach September, the end of the furlough scheme and the expected £20 cut to Universal Credit could mean a tough winter ahead for many. However, labour market shortages may lead to better pay and conditions in some sectors, and hopefully get the milkshakes flowing again.
At IPPR Scotland the team have been considering the nature of work, and the importance of ensuring jobs provide people with enough income to live on. The findings of their latest report feature in our ‘Stats of the month’ section. Some of them show we still have a long way to go if we are to tackle growing inequalities in the workplace.
Project in focus: How to tackle problem gambling
Team at Bristol finds gambling premises ten times more prevalent in the most deprived areas
21% of gambling premises are located in the most deprived areas of the country, compared with just 2% in the least deprived decile. The geography of gambling premises in Britain, by the University of Bristol and supported by Standard Life Foundation raises serious concerns for the poorest areas of the country, given that that gambling – even at relatively low levels – has been linked to a range of financial problems, including use of payday loans and missing mortgage payments. There are still more gambling premises than the number of stores run by the largest eight supermarket chains in Britain (collectively accounting for over 90% of the market share).
The programme has two more reports out in coming months on the effects on family and the efficacy of existing 'responsible gambling' messages.
Stats of the month
- One in five workers surveyed in Scotland typically receive two weeks’ notice or less of their working rota.
- Working women in Scotland are 44 per cent more likely to experience low pay than men.
- Black and ethnic minority workers are 38 per cent more likely than white workers to experience low pay
What we like this month
Campaign groups continue to lobby for the government to cancel the expected £20 cut to Universal Credit at the end of the month. Last week Women’s Budget Group, supported by the Foundation, published polling which showed overwhelming support particularly from young voters, including Conservative voters, for investment in the social security system. Read more on their findings.
SLF in the news
Wondering what a minimum income guarantee is? The BBC has a great explainer.
The Guardian ran a thoughtful editorial on gambling following the release of the research on gambling.
The Independent reports on IPPR Scotland’s proposal to make Covid funding for businesses contingent on better pay for workers
Podcast of the month
The LSE produce a series of podcasts after their events. Earlier this year they put out a series on inequality, we particularly recommend the one on youth inequality in the UK and one which focuses on the return of inequality.
