Inequalities and the Future

Inequalities and the Future is sponsored by Nuffield Foundation. Investigation into emerging and long-standing trends in inequality, producing evidence to inform proactive and effective policymaking.

Inequalities and the future - Nuffield Foundation Inequalities and the future October 2025 - September 2028 Researchers: Tom Waters | Carl Emmerson ...

Artificial intelligence Inequality and social mobility Labour market Technology and digital society Welfare Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Professor Sir Richard Blundell University College London Professor Monica Costa Dias Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Artificial intelligence Inequality and social mobility Labour market Technology and digital society Welfare Main Grants (Research, Development and Analysis Fund) Save project Project saved This project will investigate emerging and long-standing trends in inequality, producing evidence to inform proactive and effective policymaking in the following areas: working from home, climate change policy, and the labour market and mental health circumstances of young adults.

Why this project is important Inequality remains a critical challenge, potentially exacerbated by new trends such as remote work, climate change policies, and the circumstances of young adults now entering the labour market. Existing research often fails to address these issues comprehensively or proactively, instead focusing on mitigating consequences after they arise.

This project will build on the Nuffield-funded Deaton Review of Inequalities , which provided a comprehensive overview of UK inequalities and highlighted the damaging economic and political effects of reactive approaches, by providing policymakers with actionable evidence to ensure informed policy responses.

The research team will answer the following questions: How is working from home affecting labour market inequalities – such as in pay and career progression – by gender, occupation, education, ethnicity and geography? How can we design a policy package – energy taxes, benefits, and retrofitting homes – that accounts for behavioural change and reduces carbon emissions without increasing inequalities?

What are the circumstances of young adults now entering the labour market in terms of early labour market outcomes, mental health, and disability benefit receipt? How do their outcomes relate to childhood circumstances? Which groups are facing particular challenges and what might their later life outcomes look like?

The research will involve the following: Analyse trends in remote work and its impact on inequalities using household survey and wage data. Study causal effects on job quality, job satisfaction, and gender disparities. Examine how remote work affects career progression, particularly for mothers.

Use linked data to quantify the effects of energy taxes, retrofitting, and benefits on emissions and inequality accounting for the way in which these policies affect home energy usage including how they differently target higher and lower energy use households. Develop a unified framework for optimal policy design.

Use newly available data to study young adults’ labour market outcomes, mental health, and social mobility using cohort data. Examine links between childhood circumstances and adult challenges.

How it will make a difference Findings will be shared with policymakers in central and regional government departments; the general public, through reports, media coverage, and interactive digital tools; and academic and policy communities via public events, podcasts, and seminars. Public engagement activities will highlight cross-cutting themes, while targeted meetings with policymakers will ensure evidence informs proactive reforms.

Save project Project saved Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Professor Sir Richard Blundell University College London Professor Monica Costa Dias Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Institute for Fiscal Studies Artificial intelligence Inequality and social mobility Labour market Technology and digital society Welfare Main Grants (Research, Development and Analysis Fund) Related news, events and opinion Inequalities and the future The digital lives of care-experienced children IFS Green Budget 2026 – 2029 Pain-at-Work Toolkit for employees with chronic pain (definitive trial) Examining gender pension gaps: trajectories over time in the UK Towards housing affordability: local supply drivers and optimal policy Student employment and subsequent education and labour market outcomes Racial Diversity UK | Welfare | 2026 - 2027 Racial equality since devolution: Divergences, outcomes and frontiers Trialling an evaluation framework for LLM-powered careers advice Tax, benefits and public spending in the 2026 devolved elections 2026 Scottish Parliament and Senedd election analysis Arthritis and farmers in England: Impacts, adaptations and prevention IFS Green Budget 2026 – 2029 The digital lives of care-experienced children Pain-at-Work Toolkit for employees with chronic pain (definitive trial) 2026 Scottish Parliament and Senedd election analysis Towards housing affordability: local supply drivers and optimal policy Examining gender pension gaps: trajectories over time in the UK Trialling an evaluation framework for LLM-powered careers advice Tax, benefits and public spending in the 2026 devolved elections Actionable insights to tackle UK dietary inequalities Navigating social housing tenancies: Language and cultural barriers Policy change and inequalities in early childhood education and care IFS Green Budget 2026 – 2029 The digital lives of care-experienced children Trialling an evaluation framework for LLM-powered careers advice Policy change and inequalities in early childhood education and care Student employment and subsequent education and labour market outcomes Racial inequalities in access to professional careers – what matters?

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