Inequalities in income and opportunity among the UK labour force

Abstract

This thesis identifies inequalities in income and opportunity that emerge in a diverse set of employees. In chapter one, analysis of the earnings of thousands of workers in professional financial roles shows there is a significant gender pay gap that cannot be explained by standard control variables. This gap is greater for women that do not have a higher level of educational attainment, and for women working in larger firms. Similarly, an ethnicity pay gap is identified for the same set of workers and this is higher in London. The second chapter finds that in all regions, alongside health and education, the biggest factor that is associated with inequalities in life's chances is family background. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, these gaps are wider. The third chapter shows that at the start of working lives investment in training and skills is not equal, and again gender is associated with differences among those that have attained an apprenticeship. The take-up of such opportunities varies between regions and is lower for young workers from the least privileged family backgrounds.

Date of Award	Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Queen's University Belfast
Sponsors	Northern Ireland Department for the Economy
Supervisor	Heather Dickey (Supervisor) & Gareth Campbell (Supervisor)