The government is abolishing the Social Mobility Commission (SMC), an independent advisory body that has guided ministers on tackling inequality in England, and replacing it with a new "class unit" designed to embed efforts to improve opportunities for working-class people directly within government structures.
Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson defended the decision as a shift from external oversight to hands-on delivery of the government's social mobility agenda. The move forms part of a broader initiative to reduce the number of arm's length bodies operating in Whitehall and streamline decision-making across government departments.
However, Alun Francis, the commission's outgoing permanent chair, strongly criticised the decision, raising concerns about both the terminology and the government's engagement with the body during the planning process. He warned that class remained a "messy concept around which to organise policy" and questioned whether the new unit's name risked being "deeply patronising, to equate being working class with being disadvantaged".
What is the Social Mobility Commission and why is it being closed?
The SMC evolved from the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, which was renamed in 2016 when the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government removed legally binding child poverty targets. Since that restructuring, the commission's responsibilities have been limited to promoting social mobility in England, publishing an annual report on progress, and providing advice to ministers when requested.
According to the government's official statement, the SMC currently has no power to take direct action on social mobility. The government also asserts there are no documented examples since 2016 of the commission's work directly shaping government policy.
Francis disputed this characterisation, arguing that the commission had influenced plans for clean energy jobs and the "devolution agenda". He also criticised ministers for failing to engage with the body on its future and said he had encountered "no detailed plan" for how the new unit would be assessed or held accountable.
How will the new class unit operate?
The new unit will be positioned within the Office for Equality and Opportunity, sitting alongside existing teams responsible for race, sex, LGBT and disability rights. According to government sources, the unit will focus on working-class people's experiences of public services, health disparities and access to employment.
Phillipson said the restructuring marked "a pivotal step in embedding a focus on socio-economic inequality into the heart of government". Speaking to a national broadcaster, she highlighted that there had been a "squeamishness in talking about class" and that it represented "a big area that's been missing" from policy formation.
The government says it will continue supporting the SMC while transitioning resources to the new priorities until legislation formally closes the commission. The commission will continue to produce its annual State of the Nation report during this interim period.
What is the socio-economic duty and how does it fit in?
A central responsibility of the new unit will be introducing a new legal duty requiring public bodies in England to consider how their policies affect people on low incomes. This duty, informally known as "Harman's law" after former Labour equalities minister Harriet Harman who originally wrote it into the Equality Act, has never been enacted in England despite remaining on the statute book.
The duty has been in force in Scotland since 2018 and Wales since 2021, while a number of public bodies in England have voluntarily adopted it. Detailed work on implementing the duty in England has been underway since last year, following a commitment made by Labour in its 2024 election manifesto.
According to government sources, the unit's early priorities will include introducing the socio-economic duty, which would legally require public bodies to consider how to improve the lives of lower-income families when making decisions on transport, services and budgets. In July, the government indicated the duty could apply in areas such as education, health and housing, though the full scope and detailed guidance remain to be finalised.
What is the Conservative response?
The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap the socio-economic duty if elected to government. Shadow equalities minister Joy Morrissey argued that the duty would "drag businesses and public bodies into yet more bureaucracy" and "encourage class warfare instead of aspiration". The Conservatives have previously signalled plans to replace existing equality frameworks with what they describe as "common sense" approaches.
What happens next?
The government will continue supporting the Social Mobility Commission while it transitions resources to the new class unit until legislation formally closes the commission. The full scope of the socio-economic duty, along with detailed guidance on its application across public bodies, is expected to be set out in coming months. The commission will continue publishing its annual State of the Nation report during the transition period.
Key Facts
- The Social Mobility Commission, established in its current form in 2016, is being abolished and replaced by a new "class unit" within the Office for Equality and Opportunity
- The new unit will focus on working-class people's experiences of public services, health disparities and access to employment
- A key responsibility will be introducing a socio-economic duty requiring public bodies to consider how policies affect lower-income families
- The duty has been in force in Scotland since 2018 and Wales since 2021 but has never been enacted in England despite being written into law
- The Conservative Party has committed to scrapping the socio-economic duty if elected, arguing it would increase bureaucracy
