Phillipson sets up 'class unit' as social mobility advisers ditched

Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson announced the abolition of the Social Mobility Commission (SMC) and its replacement with a new “class unit” inside the Office for Equality and Opportunity, signalling a shift from external oversight to direct government delivery of socio‑economic policy. The decision, part of a broader Whitehall drive to reduce arm‑length bodies, will see the SMC – which has advised ministers on inequality since its 2016 rebranding from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission – dissolved, with its functions transferred to the new unit that will also introduce a legal duty for public bodies to assess the impact of policies on low‑income groups. Phillipson framed the move as a “pivotal step” to embed class‑related inequality concerns at the heart of government, noting a historic “squeamishness” about class in policy formation.

The commission’s outgoing chair, Alun Francis, criticised the overhaul, arguing that class is a “messy concept” for policy organization and warning that the new unit’s name could be patronising by equating working‑class status with disadvantage. Francis also disputed a government claim that the SMC had never directly informed policy, citing its influence on clean‑energy job initiatives and the devolution agenda. He lamented the lack of a detailed assessment plan for the new unit and highlighted the commission’s broader remit of publishing annual reports and advising ministers, which he feared would be lost under the new structure.

The new unit will sit alongside existing teams handling race, sex, LGBT and disability equality, and will be tasked with operationalising “Harman’s law” – a legal duty, first drafted by former Labour equalities minister Harriet Harman, requiring public bodies to consider low‑income impacts in areas such as education, health and housing. While the duty has been active in Scotland and Wales since 2018 and 2021, it remains dormant in England, though some English bodies have adopted it voluntarily. Labour’s 2024 election manifesto pledged to advance the duty, whereas the Conservatives have promised to scrap it if returned to power, with shadow equalities minister Joy Morrissey warning it would add bureaucracy and fuel “class warfare”. The rollout of the duty’s guidance and its full scope remain pending, leaving public bodies and businesses uncertain about future compliance requirements.

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