Ministers consider closing social mobility watchdog

The review of such bodies, conducted by the Cabinet Office, has considered the SMC's closure, with the argument that its limited functions could be more efficiently managed internally. Currently, the SMC's sole statutory duty is to publish an annual report assessing the state of social mobility in the UK, evaluating opportunities and inequalities. However, it possesses no authority to shape government policy, hold public entities accountable, or present recommendations to ministers.

While initially conceived as the Child Poverty Commission in 2010, some within the current government believe its focus on child poverty was diminished under subsequent administrations. A source described it as having "essentially become a thinktank inside government." A year prior, a report from the education select committee proposed measures to give the SMC "real teeth," but these were rejected by the then children's minister, Nadhim Zahawi.

A Whitehall source stated that reducing inequality and supporting working-class communities are central to the government's agenda, emphasizing the importance of tracking progress as a core government function. Any changes are anticipated within the current parliamentary term, though disbanding a statutory body would necessitate new legislation. The SMC is currently chaired by Alun Francis, who also serves as the chief executive of Blackpool and The Fylde college, supported by two deputy chairs, four commissioners, and a secretariat of approximately 20 civil servants.

The SMC's most recent report highlighted "entrenched disadvantages" and "extreme regional differences" in former industrial areas across Britain, linking them to poorer childhood conditions, fewer job opportunities, and limited innovation. The report specifically noted the lasting impacts of deindustrialisation on Yorkshire, the north-east, the Midlands, Wales, and Scotland. Andy Burnham, who has previously criticized Westminster's perspective on social mobility, has prioritized local devolution, technical education, and housing. Phillipson, whose brief includes sponsorship of the SMC, has also frequently discussed social mobility, drawing on her own working-class background.