Sir Peter Lampl: Too many left behind in socially immobile Britain

Social mobility has not been a big issue so far in this election. But with the launch of a new social mobility index today, perhaps the candidates will start to make it one. The Sutton Trust index shows the big differences across the country in the chances of young people getting ahead. It suggests policies that MPs should embrace to improve their life chances. There is no silver bullet, but there are measures that could make a big difference.

Children from less advantaged backgrounds lose out from nursery to university. We all accept that talent is found everywhere but our mobility map shows that where you are born determines your likelihood of success in education and later life.

Poor children do much better in some areas than others, so poverty doesn’t have to be a barrier to success. London has 30 of the top 50 constituencies for social mobility.

Westminster North, where three in five pupils are disadvantaged, tops the table, which draws together data for those from low-income homes on school readiness, test scores at 11 and 16, access to university and graduates getting professional jobs.

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