Social mobility policy needs a radical new approach, tackling regional inequalities - Alun Francis

Because the greatest barriers to opportunity today aren't just about individual circumstances or educational access, it’s also about geography. Where you live shouldn't determine your life chances, yet regional disparities continue to waste talent and limit potential across the country.

The Social Mobility Commission's annual State of the Nation report reveals the stark reality: young people in London and the Home Counties consistently access better job opportunities and achieve more educationally than their peers elsewhere. High achievers outside major cities – particularly London – still face a brutal choice to "leave to achieve" if they want well-paid careers.

But whether London can continue to deliver on this basis is increasingly open to question.

The job market is shifting, the graduate premium may have peaked, and even those who previously thrived are growing frustrated. Housing remains unaffordable, family formation is changing, and whilst graduates typically marry each other and raise high-achieving children, they're starting families later and having fewer off-spring.

This presents an opportunity for the rest of the country, where regional disparities have become entrenched.

Green shoots of innovation are emerging all over the country, but they face tough challenges. Economies need to grow faster, and together with educational, social and cultural change, if we want to see meaningful social mobility for everyone.

It’s clear that social mobility policy needs a radical new approach. On the one hand, it must embrace wealth creation and support wealth creators; on the other, it must shine a light on the truly disadvantaged, the ‘left behind’ people in ‘left behind places’, and what should be done to maximise their potential.

At the Social Mobility Commission’s inaugural symposium we’re bringing people together from across parliament and the public, private and third sectors to challenge the way we think about social mobility. Because it shouldn’t be just a leg-up for the lucky few – it should be about improving circumstances for everyone, regardless of where they live.

Traditional social mobility approaches are failing because they're tied to an economic model that no longer delivers.

Britain's persistently sluggish growth and low productivity are exposing the true scale of social mobility problems, with younger generations facing fewer opportunities than their parents enjoyed.

This economic stagnation reveals the full extent of regional disparities and the waste they represent. It shows how far some communities have ‘fallen behind’ and how limited opportunity has become for many. Welfare is becoming unaffordable and a block, rather than a springboard to a better life.

Economic innovation and growth are deeply linked to social mobility. This means that addressing regional differences in economic opportunity must play a more central role in social mobility policy.

This year, the Social Mobility Commission has visited places across the country to see economic innovation firsthand.

Because when someone in Sheffield can access world-class AI training or a business in Barnsley can get access to the digital resources it needs, that's when we start to see genuine social mobility in action.

This kind of innovation – which challenges hierarchies and creates broader opportunities – can deliver social mobility for the many, rather than the few.

The Social Mobility Commission has been doing a lot of work with entrepreneurs, investors and businesses to discover new ways we can support innovation and growth across the country.

Because it’s not just about economic policy. Education, skills development and supporting policies must work together to foster innovation and enterprise nationally, creating an economy open to diverse talents rather than the narrow model that has dominated recent decades.

Delivering social mobility for everyone requires place-based approaches. This is the idea that different areas face distinct social mobility challenges that require tailored solutions.

Let’s take the Liverpool City Region. I recently spoke with Metro Mayor Steve Rotherham, who described the range of local initiatives which are driving change there. The challenges are complex and only local perspectives can address them effectively. Westminster-driven policy cannot coordinate the full range of private, public and voluntary activity needed to make a real difference.

Our job at the Social Mobility Commission is to present the evidence on social mobility in the United Kingdom. This involves challenging myths and misconceptions and tackling the key challenges of our times like regional disparity.

Alun Francis is chair of the Social Mobility Commission.