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UK an 'unequal place to grow up' UK an 'unequal place to grow up'
(40 minutes later)
The UK remains an unequal place to grow up, according to a report by the Social Mobility Commission.The UK remains an unequal place to grow up, according to a report by the Social Mobility Commission.
It has concluded that the government needs to target low income families much more effectively.It has concluded that the government needs to target low income families much more effectively.
The report says success in later life is still largely determined by parents' backgrounds and earnings.The report says success in later life is still largely determined by parents' backgrounds and earnings.
The commission's findings are being published ahead of the government's own White Paper looking at improving the life chances of youngsters in the UK. Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who has returned to government to look at the issue, said all children should get a "fair crack of the whip".
The commission - which is comprised of charity leaders, academics and economists - was set up last year at the instigation of the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg. The commission's report is being published ahead of the government's own White Paper looking at improving the life chances of youngsters in the UK.
The commission report comes as former health secretary Alan Milburn has made a return to frontline politics at Gordon Brown's request to look at the issue of social mobility. Narrow the gap
The report contains 27 main recommendations to end what is referred to as "a society of persistent inequality". It contains 27 main recommendations to end what is referred to as "a society of persistent inequality".
Most concern a targeting of resources to deprived households and schools with the highest proportions of poorer pupils.Most concern a targeting of resources to deprived households and schools with the highest proportions of poorer pupils.
It also suggests child tax credits should be available only to low income families and that they should also have access to affordable credit such as interest-free loans. The report also suggests child tax credits should be available only to low income families and that they should also have access to affordable credit such as interest-free loans. We've raised the glass ceiling, but we haven't broken through it Alan MilburnFormer health secretary
In response the government said it remained committed to narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor. In response, the government said it remained committed to narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor.
Mr Milburn will chair a panel of industry leaders to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds get on in key professions. Mr Milburn, who is making a return to frontline politics at Gordon Brown's request, will chair a panel of industry leaders to help people from disadvantaged backgrounds get on in key professions.
He told the BBC it was vital children from all classes got a "fair crack of the whip" when it came to developing their careers. He told the BBC it was vital to encourage children from all classes to develop careers in law, medicine, the senior civil service, media and finance.
Ministers have identified limited access to the professions - such as law, medicine, the senior civil service, media, finance and the upper ranks of the armed forces - as a major obstacle. "This is about identifying the obstacles that stand in their way and removing them," he said.
"We've raised the glass ceiling, but we haven't broken through it."
Mr Milburn admitted that social mobility had been declining in Britain for several decades, but said it had recently "bottomed out" and "the opportunity now is to get it going again".
But Martin Narey, chief executive of children's charity Barnardo's, told the BBC that much more needed to be done.
He said education had "not become the great leveller that many people believed it would be" and investment had "disproportionately benefited the middle classes".
"There's been a much greater expansion in university education for children from comfortable backgrounds than from the most deprived backgrounds," he said. A basic and reasonable income is an absolute prerequisite for social mobility Martin Narey, Barnardo's
"We need to make sure that the most disadvantaged children get to the best schools and we need to look at over-riding local authority admission policies and school admission policies.
"If we did that more widely, we would fundamentally alter equality of opportunity for the disadvantaged."
Mr Narey said the issue of child poverty also had to be addressed.
"A basic and reasonable income is an absolute prerequisite for social mobility," he added.
The Social Mobility Commission - which is comprised of charity leaders, academics and economists - was set up last year at the instigation of the Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg.