In this research report, we examine what UK public and private sector employers are doing to advance social mobility in 2024-25. By analysing data submitted by over 100 organisations to the UK Social Mobility Awards in 2025, we examine what employers are doing across the social mobility journey, along with the enablers and challenges overcome to advance social mobility. We also explore what schools, colleges, and universities are doing to ‘bridge the gap’ between education and employment for people from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds (LSEBs).
Our key findings show:
- There is a high level of commitment to advancing social mobility among employers, in spite of challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the UK in 2025
- By investing in data, strategy and leadership, employers are increasingly building strong foundations for their social mobility work
- Employers’ social mobility work may still be in ‘first gear’, with most efforts focused on outreach and much less action to recruit and retain LSEB individuals
By providing in-depth insights into social mobility activities from the classroom to the workplace, the research offers unique evidence and key recommendations to inform wider action on social mobility in the UK.
Authors:
Dr Padmini Iyer, Making the Leap
Katrina Leary, Independent social researcher
Image credit: Ada, National College of Digital Skills
Download the executive summary (PDF) here:
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