The Work Foundation | The bottom ten million

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The bottom ten million

The bottom ten million research programme focuses on the challenges faced both by those working in low-wage jobs as well as those who are workless.

There are currently some ten million people in Britain earning less than £15,000 a year. For some, low-wage work is temporary, but for others it can be a long-term struggle.

Key themes of the programme include:

Impact of the recession and recovery

Will the recovery create jobs with different skills demands? What will the geography of changing demand be? What are the policy questions that need to be considered in relation to low earners over the next decade?

The skills dilemma

Evidence suggests that skills under-utilisation is far more prevalent in low-wage sectors and low-skill occupations. What are the drivers of skills under-utilisation in low-wage sectors? And what can and should be done to address the issue?

Bring people to jobs or jobs to people?

Should Britain improve its policies to regenerate disadvantaged communities – and if so, how? Or should Britain organise itself so people are able to move to find work – and if so, how should we manage the decline of the places they leave behind?

The right labour market interventions

What labour market interventions should be carried forward into the recovery?

Related Reports

The Skills Dilemma: Skills under-utilisation and low-wage work
This report tackles the missing side of the debate around skills in the UK by showing how the underuse of skills is resulting in lost productivity both for businesses and the economy as a whole.

Dr Paul Sissons
10 January 2012

Autumn Statement 2011: A submission from The Work Foundation
This submission to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement sets out what a credible growth plan would look like, emphasising the importance of infrastructure investment, innovation policies and more flexible regional growth policies.

Ian Brinkley, Charles Levy, Andrew Sissons, Jonathan Wright and Mark Lloyd
24 November 2011

The Hourglass and the Escalator: Labour Market Change and mobility
This report investigates the evidence of a hollowing-out of the labour market and assesses the implications.

Paul Sissons
14 July 2011

Related Events

International lessons? Youth unemployment in the global context
This event, held to mark the launch of International Lessons, a major new report by The Work Foundation, will consider the lessons which can be drawn from other countries about the best way to help young people make the transition from school to work.

Mon, 28 January 2013
09:00 - 11:00

How can apprenticeships make the workplace better?
This event examined the benefits of bringing apprentices into businesses and the potential barriers to their integration into the workplace.

Thu, 24 January 2013
09:00 - 10:30

In conversation with Mark Hoban MP, Minister of State for Employment, Department for Work and Pensions
In an informal environment, the Minister discussed several issues, focusing on how the government might tackle the barriers to employment, what can be done to increase the efficacy of the Work Programme, and how personalised support could help the long-term unemployed back to work.

Tue, 11 December 2012
08:45 - 10:00

Related Blogs

Mapping inequality in the UK labour market
Dr Neil Lee presents a summary of the findings from the latest report into wage inequality and employment polarisation in British cities.

Dr Neil Lee
07 May 2013

Labour Day 2013
A reflection on the current state of the labour market given it's Labour Day today (1 May)

Ian Brinkley
01 May 2013

Why is the Work Programme failing?
Today’s (22 Feb) report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) found that not a single one of the providers contracted to deliver the Government’s Work Programme has hit its target. In fact, fewer people moved into sustained work as a result of the programme than would have done if there had been no intervention at all. It’s clear that the programme faces huge problems. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has blamed the providers, and some may stand to lose their contracts for poor performance.

Daniel Wainwright
22 February 2013

Related News

No Entry - transport barriers to young people's access to opportunities
Katy Jones, researcher at The Work Foundation provides a review into the transport barriers to young people's access to opportunities.

Katy Jones
17 May 2013

Wage inequality and employment polarisation
A video of Dr Neil Lee explaining the findings from the latest report commissioned by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Dr Neil Lee
03 May 2013

Government’s policies for rebalancing economy are likely to widen regional divides and hasten decline of poorest areas
The gap between successful and struggling regions of the UK is set to widen, with the poorest communities experiencing further economic decline unless the government takes more effective action to rebalance the economy. This is according to a report published today (Sept 19) by The Work Foundation.

Tom Phillips
19 September 2012