UK’s first major innovation partnership focused on using new technologies to improve workers’ pay, prospects and power launches today 10 November 2020 The Resolution Foundation has brought together leading charitable foundations, social investors and businesses to launch The Workertech Partnership – the UK’s first-ever innovation programme to support social entrepreneurs and start-ups focused on improving conditions and career paths for workers locked in low-paid and precarious employment. The £1.3 million partnership opens today (Tuesday) for applications from … Continued READ MORE
Record redundancies as unemployment rises by almost a quarter of a million over the summer 10 November 2020 Unemployment increased by 243,000 in three months to September 2020, despite the reopening of the economy, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the ONS labour market statistics. Unemployment increased by 0.7 percentage points on the previous quarter to reach 4.8 per cent in the three months to September – the fastest increase … Continued READ MORE
Chancellor returns economic policy to full lockdown mode after an Autumn of U-turns 5 November 2020 The Chancellor has responded to the coming winter of lockdowns across the UK’s nations and regions by returning economic policy to a full lockdown mode through the extension of Job Retention Scheme (JRS) to the end of March, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday) in response to the Chancellor’s latest statement. The Foundation says that … Continued READ MORE
Wales should be centre-stage in attempts to ‘level up’ Britain 4 November 2020 Wales needs to move centre-stage in the UK’s ‘levelling up’ agenda as its strong performance on jobs has not been matched on pay packets, leaving the country struggling to reduce its living standards gap with the rest of the UK, according to a major new Resolution Foundation report published today (Wednesday). The report – From … Continued READ MORE
First wave furloughing pushed two million employees below the minimum wage 3 November 2020 Around two million employees were paid less the National Living Wage last April as low-paid workers found themselves at the heart of the crisis and were less likely to have their furloughed wages topped up by their employer, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS Annual Survey of Hours and … Continued READ MORE
More than one-in-three workers are worried about catching Covid-19 at work 2 November 2020 More than one-in-three (35 per cent) workers have an active concern about the transmission of Covid-19 in their workplace – with low-paid workers most likely to be worried, but least likely to raise concerns or see their complaints resolved – according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Tuesday). Failed Safe? – supported by Unbound … Continued READ MORE
Chancellor right to extend support for self-employed workers, but many who need help remain excluded 2 November 2020 Commenting on the Chancellor’s announcement today (Monday) that he has extended the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) through to February, with an 80 per cent replacement rate in November followed by a 40 per cent replacement rate in December and January (with a maximum cash grant of £5,160), Hannah Slaughter, Economist at the Resolution Foundation, … Continued READ MORE
One-in-five young people and over one-in-five BAME workers who were furloughed during lockdown have since lost their jobs 27 October 2020 Around one-in-five young people, and over one-in-five black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) workers, who were furloughed during lockdown have since their lost jobs – and just one-in-three young people who have lost their jobs have been able to find new work – according to a major new Resolution Foundation report published today (Wednesday). Jobs, … Continued READ MORE
Self-Employment Support Scheme pays out over £1.3 billion to thriving businesses, but nothing to 500,000 left without work 25 October 2020 The Government’s £12.7 billion Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has been terribly targeted at those in need – with over 400,000 workers claiming support despite not losing any income during the crisis, while almost 500,000 people still without work have received no support at all. This is according to a major new Resolution Foundation report … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Living standards Chancellor rightly slashes employer contributions to make part-time working scheme fit for purpose 22 October 2020 The Chancellor has sharply, and rightly, changed course to tackle the central flaw in the Job Support Scheme (JSS), slashing the share of wages for hours not worked that employers must pay from 33 to 5 per cent, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday). Today’s announcement will hugely increase the incentive for firms that are … Continued READ MORE
Largest rise in unemployment in over decade as men lose their jobs and women fall out of the jobs market altogether 13 October 2020 The UK experienced the largest rise in unemployment in over a decade – rising by 138,000 in the three months to August – as self-employed men lost their jobs and women working part-time fell out of the jobs market altogether, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) Headline unemployment increased from 4.1 per cent to 4.5 … Continued READ MORE
Decisive action needed to tackle significant pay penalties faced by black, Asian and ethnic minority workers 12 October 2020 Commenting on new ONS data published today (Monday) highlighting pay gaps between different ethnic groups, George Bangham, Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “While progress has been made in reducing ethnicity pay gaps for some groups, such as Indian and Bangladeshi workers, gaps have actually got larger for others, such as Black Caribbean, and White … Continued READ MORE
Policy makers should have spent the summer planning for a second wave, rather than pinning hopes on a V 9 October 2020 Commenting on the latest ONS GDP figures for August, James Smith, Research Director at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Disappointing growth figures for August confirm that Britain was never on course for a V-shaped recovery. “With further restrictions coming this Autumn, the Chancellor is setting out fresh economic support this afternoon. This should include local furloughing … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19 Chancellor rightly brings back furloughing to pave the way for fresh lockdowns 9 October 2020 The Chancellor has rightly U-turned on his wish to fully phase out the furlough scheme at the end of this month, now offering to pay two-thirds of the wages of workers in firms required to be fully closed by national or local restrictions, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday). While today’s announcement would only apply … Continued READ MORE
Covid has created a U-shaped crisis as majority of young adults and pensioners stopped working RF warns of a lost ‘covid generation’, with youth unemployment at risk of reaching its 1980s peak 8 October 2020 Hopes of a V-shaped recovery have given way to the reality of a U-shaped crisis, with young adults and young pensioners most likely to have stopped working during the pandemic, according to the Resolution Foundation’s annual Intergenerational Audit published today (Thursday). The report – supported by the Nuffield Foundation – offers the first comprehensive assessment … Continued READ MORE
Today’s MAC report is the latest reminder of the damage caused by appalling pay and conditions in the care sector 29 September 2020 Commenting on the Migration Advisory Committee’s report published this morning, Kathleen Henehan, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Today’s MAC report is the latest reminder of the damage caused by appalling pay and conditions in the care sector. Expanding our social care workforce could help our covid rsponse, provide vital employment opportunities for those … Continued READ MORE
Covid-19· Living standards· Economy and public finances The Job Support Scheme will not support enough jobs – risking a major living standards squeeze 25 September 2020 The Chancellor yesterday set out a timely renewed package of economic support. But with big unemployment increases still on the cards, and design flaws in post-furloughing job support, Britain is on course for a major squeeze on living standards in the months ahead, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday) in its overnight analysis of the … Continued READ MORE
Job Support Scheme moves jobs cliff edge to January and sets up difficult conversations between firms and workers 24 September 2020 The Chancellor’s Job Support Scheme (JSS) will help stem but not halt the sharp rise in unemployment this Autumn, but avoidable design flaws will reduce its impact, the Resolution Foundation said in response to the Winter Economic Plan today (Thursday). With public restrictions being ramped up, the Chancellor is right to have announced fresh emergency … Continued READ MORE
Minimum wage set for smallest rise in a decade, but Government should stick to plans to abolish low pay 23 September 2020 The covid crisis means the UK’s two million minimum wage workers are set to receive the smallest pay increase since 2010 – of around 15p – next April, but the economic shock does not mean the Government should abandon its pledge to abolish low pay by the middle of the decade, according to the Resolution … Continued READ MORE
Chancellor must use his Winter Economic Plan to shift from phasing out to ramping back up support for firms and workers 23 September 2020 Commenting on the Chancellor’s announcement today (Wednesday) that he has cancelled an Autumn Budget and will instead set out a Winter Economic Plan tomorrow, Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “With the Prime Minister having ramped up restrictions to control the spread of the virus, it’s right that the Chancellor now shifts … Continued READ MORE
Phasing in restrictions while simultaneously phasing out support is not a sustainable approach to the difficult months ahead 22 September 2020 Commenting on the Government announcement today (Tuesday) of new public health restrictions to curb the rise in covid-19 infections, Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “Phasing in restrictions to control the virus, while simultaneously phasing out support for firms and workers, isn’t a sustainable approach to the difficult months ahead. A new … Continued READ MORE
Retail workers went back to work in July, but over two in five hospitality and leisure workers still furloughed 18 September 2020 The number of furloughed workers has almost halved from its early May peak of 8.9 million to 4.8 million in late July, but hard-hit sectors like hospitality and leisure are still hugely reliant on the Job Retention Scheme (JRS) that is due to end in just six weeks’ time, the Resolution Foundation said today (Friday) … Continued READ MORE
Unemployment rising sharply before furlough scheme ends, showing workers face a tough autumn 15 September 2020 Unemployment rose sharply even before the start of the winding down of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) from August, with young people at the centre of Britain’s mounting jobs crisis, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS data. The headline unemployment picked up in the three months to July … Continued READ MORE
UK economy experienced a Summer recovery, but a tough Autumn lies ahead 11 September 2020 Commenting on the latest GDP figures for July published today (Friday), which shows that month-on-month growth was 6.6 per cent, but that monthly GDP was still 11.7 per cent down on pre-pandemic levels, James Smith Research Director at the Resolution Foundation, said: “The UK economy continued to rebound over the Summer as lockdown restrictions eased. … Continued READ MORE
The Chancellor must reconsider his plans to swiftly phase out economic support given the painful reality that the economic crisis is here to stay 11 September 2020 Commenting on the Treasury Committee’s second interim report of its inquiry into the Economic Impact of Coronavirus, which sets a wide range policy recommendations for the Chancellor ahead of his upcoming Budget, Torsten Bell, Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation, said: “This authoritative account of the economic impact of coronavirus should be required reading for … Continued READ MORE