The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) has published its State of the nation 2021: Social mobility and the pandemic report. The SMC is an independent advisory non-departmental public body established under the Life Chances Act 2010 as modified by the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. It has a duty to assess progress in improving social mobility in the UK and to promote social mobility in England.
The report identifies, and makes recommendations in relation to, seven key pillars for recovery following the pandemic:
- Geography and local power
- Poverty and living standards
- Early years
- Education
- Apprenticeships and adult skills
- Digital access and
- Work and career progression.
Of particular relevance to the social housing sector, is a recommendation within the ‘Poverty and living standards’ pillar that three million social homes should be built over the next 20 years.