Bridget Phillipson MP, Minister for Women and Equalities, announced structural changes today to how the government addresses inequality. The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) is to be closed, with its focus on social mobility brought in-house.
A new Class Unit will be established within government, sitting alongside existing units in the Office for Equality and Opportunity. This unit will concentrate on improving the lives of low-income families and supporting disadvantaged communities.
Crucially, the new unit will lead the enactment of the Socio-Economic Duty, a new power in the Equality Act. This duty will legally require public bodies to consider how to improve the lives of lower-income families when making decisions on issues such as transport, services, and budgets.
Formal closure of the SMC will require primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows. In the interim, the SMC will continue to deliver its statutory duties, including its annual State of the Nation report, as resources are transitioned.