Latest Publications
Work, Skills & Education
We research all aspects of education and work, but we focus particularly on aspects that political debate often neglects: further education; vocational and technical education; apprenticeships and lifelong learning; in-work poverty.
Latest Publications:
Publication
Widening participation in Higher Education
New research from the Social Market Foundation think tank finds that the government is on course to miss its targets of widening participation in higher education – and has found significant differences between institutions’ intake of pupils from both minority and disadvantaged backgrounds.
| Published: | 23 March 2016 |
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| Author(s): | Emran Mian, Ben Richards |
Publication
Tough gig: Low paid self-employment in London and the UK
Our new research finds that low-paid self-employment is rising. Around half of the UK’s self-employed are in low pay, measured on an hourly basis, compared with around a fifth of employees. Whilst the proportion of self-employed workers in low pay has been growing, in comparison, the proportion of employees in low pay has remained relatively stable.
| Published: | 21 March 2016 |
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| Author(s): | Nida Broughton, Ben Richards |
Publication
Closing the gap: Creating a framework for tackling the disability employment gap in the UK
Halving the disability employment gap is a challenging ambition that should not be rushed. This report sets out a range of principles for how reform should progress and a number of areas where specific reforms should be considered.
| Published: | 11 March 2016 |
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| Author: | Matthew Oakley |
Publication
Paying the National Living Wage
New research in this data pack, conducted by the Social Market Foundation, analyses the potential impact of the new National Living Wage rate on businesses across the UK.
| Published: | 15 February 2016 |
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| Author(s): | Nida Broughton, Nigel Keohane |
Publication
Working Well: How employers can improve the wellbeing and productivity of their workforce
In this report we consider ways in which we can reduce stress and boost workplace engagement to help improve UK productivity.
| Published: | 25 January 2016 |
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| Author: | Katie Evans |
Publication
Educational inequalities in England and Wales
This briefing pack accompanies the launch of the SMF's new Commission on Inequality in Education, chaired by Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, and contains the initial findings of the commission.
| Published: | 12 January 2016 |
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| Author: | Nida Broughton |
Publication
The Skills Gap: Is it a myth?
This is the fifth briefing paper in the Global Perspectives series, a collaboration between the Social Market Foundation and the University of Warwick’s Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
| Published: | 10 December 2015 |
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| Author: | Thijs van Rens |
Publication
SMF Briefing: The value of apprenticeships – wages
This briefing paper summarises early findings from the first part of the project, which looks at the value of apprenticeships to workers in terms of how much extra earnings an apprenticeship delivers.
| Published: | 07 December 2015 |
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| Author: | Nida Broughton |
Publication
Happiness and productivity: Understanding the happy-productive worker
This is the fourth briefing paper in the Global Perspectives series which is a collaboration between the Social Market Foundation and the University of Warwick’s Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE). This paper draws on experimental work linking happiness to productivity.
| Published: | 27 October 2015 |
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| Author: | Daniel Sgroi |