OECD Economics Department Working Papers
Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
The views expressed in these papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the OECD or of the governments of its member countries.
- ISSN: 18151973 (online)
- https://doi.org/10.1787/18151973
Labour Market, Welfare Reform and Inequality in the United Kingdom
Employment has risen by more and unemployment has risen less than expected, given the path of
output. Nevertheless, long-term and youth unemployment and involuntary part-time work are high. A
polarised labour market risks worsening income inequality, which is high by OECD standards, despite a
recent and likely temporary decline. The UK welfare system is an essential safety net, which needs to
promote employment, while protecting the most vulnerable. The reformed welfare system, Universal
Credit, and the employment programme for disadvantaged workers, Work Programme, will generally
improve work incentives and provide support for return to work, but need to be refined. Skill deficiencies
are holding back employment and fostering inequality, as low education achievements penalise children
from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Vocational training needs to be strengthened and cooperation
with employers reinforced. Transition from education to work can prove challenging, requiring more
attention to the integration of university graduates into the labour market.
Keywords: workforce skills, childcare costs, welfare reform, Universal credit, United Kingdom, productivity, labour market, inequality, activation policies, vocational training
JEL:
I38: Health, Education, and Welfare / Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty / Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Policy; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs;
J24: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity;
J21: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
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