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What are the evidence-based ways to equalise opportunities?

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Outhwaite

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities)

  • Lindsey Macmillan

    (UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities)

Abstract

Britain is not a socially mobile country. 50% of the variation in earnings can be explained by the circumstances in which individuals grew up. This is higher than in most other developed countries (Corak, 2013; Jerrim and Macmillan, 2015). This is a waste of talent: not fully harnessing the talent of individuals from all backgrounds hampers productivity and economic growth (Hsieh et al., 2019). The UK Government's Opportunities Mission seeks to address this, underpinned by the principle that where you end up in life should not be determined by your parents' financial circumstances. This can be measured using the link between relative incomes across generations - or, more specifically, intergenerational income mobility. This is, therefore, focused on the concept of equality of opportunities; the idea that by equalising young people's life chances, the link between their parental circumstances in childhood and their adult outcomes can be weakened for children from all backgrounds. So, what is the evidence base for this focus?

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Outhwaite & Lindsey Macmillan, 2025. "What are the evidence-based ways to equalise opportunities?," CEPEO Briefing Note Series 33, UCL Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities, revised May 2025.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucl:cepeob:33
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    File URL: https://repec-cepeo.ucl.ac.uk/cepeob/cepeobn33.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Raj Chetty & Matthew O. Jackson & Theresa Kuchler & Johannes Stroebel & Nathaniel Hendren & Robert B. Fluegge & Sara Gong & Federico Gonzalez & Armelle Grondin & Matthew Jacob & Drew Johnston & Martin, 2022. "Social capital I: measurement and associations with economic mobility," Nature, Nature, vol. 608(7921), pages 108-121, August.
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