The UK is a very unfair country. Inequality – whether socio-economic, regional, racial, gender, class-based, or disability-based – has got out of hand. This is morally wrong, but it's also bad for our economy, society and democracy. It's no surprise that 85% of people are concerned about inequality in Britain today. And the bad news is that most experts believe that inequality is going to get even worse over the next few years.

To address this, the next government has to take bold action to reduce economic inequality and build a fairer society. If we don’t make progress on this agenda over the next parliament, the 2029 election result might see the far-right making gains that we have never seen before in this country, as foretold in the results of the recent EU elections. The stakes for the next government, and for all of us, could not be higher.

On 30 June, as we look ahead to the general election, the Fairness Foundation published a report, 'The Canaries', that examines what the evidence tells us about how much more unfair Britain could become over the next five years, why this matters, and what we can do about it. It highlights the warnings made by experts from a range of sectors and disciplines about the trajectory that we are on, and what they think we need to do to get back onto a fairer, more prosperous and safer path.

During this webinar on 1 July, the report’s analysis and recommendations were discussed and situated within the wider context of the debate about inequality and poverty by an expert panel.

Speakers

• Helen Barnard, Director of Policy, Research and Impact, Trussell Trust
• Shabna Begum, CEO, Runnymede Trust
• Nick Harrison, Chief Executive, Sutton Trust
• Anita Sangha, Fairness Foundation
• Will Snell, Chief Executive, Fairness Foundation (chair)

Will Snell introduced the report:

• Unfair inequality harms society in a way that is analogous to how carbon monoxide harms the human body
• Inequality damages multiple aspects of society, including:
• The economy
• Democracy
• Social fabric
• Public services
• The environment
• These different aspects of society support each other, so when one starts to fail, it can have a domino effect, potentially leading to "multiple organ failure on a grand scale".
• Unfair inequalities across different areas reinforce each other and undermine progress on policy goals, such as reducing NHS waiting lists.
• The report focuses on five key areas: wealth, poverty, work, education, and housing, which are interconnected and require broad reforms to address them.
• The projections in the report are based on the assumption that current party manifesto proposals are implemented, rather than a "do nothing" scenario or more radical action to address poverty and inequality.

Anita Sangha provided some context on how the report was put together and its methodology:

• A few months ago, an email was sent to the Fairness Foundation's expert contributors network asking two main questions:
• How much worse could things get in the UK in terms of unfairness across various issues like housing, healthcare, and social security?
• What could the next incoming government do to tangibly try to reduce inequality in those areas?
• The five key areas (wealth, poverty, work, education, and housing) were selected due to the available evidence and because they map onto the "fair necessities".
• While the report discusses these issues individually, Anita emphasised that they are all interconnected and intersectional, requiring broad reforms to address them effectively.
• The report reviewed available evidence across the five issues, considering how unfair things are now, how they could change, and what could be done about it.

Will Snell moderated a panel discussion focused on three questions (followed by audience questions):

• Projections for inequality in 2029
• Consequences of increasing inequality over the next five years
• Policy solutions for building a fairer society and tackling inequalities

Helen Barnard addressed several issues in her responses:

• She highlighted the theme of risk and how it's being increasingly individualised in society, particularly in areas like pensions and housing.
• On media coverage, Helen defended the media, saying they've done "an immense amount to call this stuff out" and have elevated voices of lived experience in recent years.
• Helen emphasised addressing housing issues by focusing on the planning system and bolstering social housing, and empowering local authorities to acquire private rented homes.
• She noted some consensus across political manifestos on issues like improving workers' rights, building more social housing, and improving social security.
• Helen stressed the importance of starting work on these issues immediately, particularly housing, as it will take time to see results.
• She mentioned that workers' rights could be an area where quick progress might be possible.

Shabna Begum made the following points:

• On media coverage of inequality issues, Shabna was more critical than Helen. She noted that while the media has elevated voices of lived experience, the coverage of certain topics, particularly around asylum seekers, Muslims, and migrants, has been less objective and more sensationalised.
• Regarding quick and inexpensive solutions, Shabna emphasised the importance of narrative change and resetting how issues are discussed and understood, and the need for better planning, as many issues have been developing over decades.
• On housing, Shabna mentioned that the Runnymede Trust is conducting research on housing's impact on Black and minority ethnic communities; these communities are often overexposed to the worst impacts of private housing. She supported restrictions and protections for people in the private rental sector and called for rebalancing the relationship between renters and landlords.
• Shabna supported the implementation of the socioeconomic duty in the Equality Act 2010, arguing that it could help address some of the issues discussed.
• She emphasised the importance of including voices with lived experiences in discussions about inequality and policy-making.

Nick Harrison talked about a variety of issues:

• He described educational inequalities as a "ticking time bomb" because they take time to manifest through the system. Without action, many young people won't be able to seize opportunities, which is unfair and damages the UK's economic prospects.
• He emphasised the interplay between education, the economy, and regional inequalities, noting that these issues are strongly bound together and need addressing to prevent the UK from drifting apart.
• Nick highlighted some specific policy suggestions:
• Equal access to early years education, regardless of parents' employment status.
• A national mission to close the attainment gap in schools, which he considers fundamental to the future.
• Reintroduction of maintenance grants for less well-off students, potentially funded by adjusting repayments for better-off graduates.
• He mentioned some cost-neutral solutions, such as changing school admission codes to allow more disadvantaged pupils into top state schools.
• Nick expressed concern about the widening attainment gap in recent years, partly driven by COVID-19 and cost of living issues.
• He noted that inequality, poverty, and housing issues are exacerbating learning problems in schools, leading to fewer opportunities for affected children on a lifelong basis.
• Nick also mentioned a student maintenance crisis, where even maximum loans don't cover basic essentials, potentially deterring less well-off students from attending university or impacting their studies if they do attend.
• He talked about the role of business in addressing inequality, noting that many businesses are becoming more aware of their role in addressing inequality and diversity issues, partly due to embarrassment over lack of diversity and partly due to workforce shortages, and arguing that businesses can make an impact through how they treat both their workers and their customers.