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Downward mobility from top backgrounds in the UK is even rarer than previously thought

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Only a tiny fraction of children from the most privileged backgrounds will end up in working class jobs, suggesting that social mobility in the UK may be even more limited than previously thought.

New research from the University of Kent reveals that by age 30, only 10% of men and from top backgrounds—such as the children of doctors, lawyers, and executives—are in working class occupations, while nearly seven in 10 hold highly paid or prestigious positions. Even when advantaged backgrounds are defined more broadly, downward mobility into working class roles remains limited to just 15%.

The study, conducted by Dr. Robert de Vries and in Social Science Research, suggests that previous research has overestimated rates of downward mobility by focusing exclusively on technical measures of occupational class, while ignoring the prestige attached to certain positions. This leads to people from elite backgrounds in highly sought-after, prestigious roles—for example in the —being classified as downwardly mobile.

The research accounted for this by examining parental origins and destination occupations in terms of both prestige and class. As well as revealing substantially lower rates of downward mobility from the most privileged backgrounds, this also revealed pronounced . Men from advantaged backgrounds were more likely to enter highly paid roles, for example, in business or finance, whereas women from similar backgrounds were much more likely to pursue careers in teaching or creative professions. As a result, women from elite backgrounds frequently inherit their parents' social status, but not their financial advantage, whereas men tend to inherit both.

Dr. de Vries's findings are based on an analysis of data from more than 94,000 respondents to the UK Labour Force Survey—the UK's largest representative household survey.

Dr. de Vries, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Sociology at the University's School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, said, "This research shows that the UK's 'glass floor' is even sturdier than we realized. The children of the most advantaged families face almost no risk of significant downward mobility—with the most likely outcome being a smooth path into a highly prestigious or highly paid job (or both). The study also reveals substantial gender inequality even among the of privilege, with women from top backgrounds often ending up in roles that are prestigious but less financially rewarding than those of their male peers.

More information: Robert de Vries, Falling sideways? Social status and the true nature of elite downward mobility, Social Science Research (2024).

Journal information: Social Science Research

Provided by University of Kent

Citation: Downward mobility from top backgrounds in the UK is even rarer than previously thought (2024, November 5) retrieved 28 June 2025 from /news/2024-11-downward-mobility-backgrounds-uk-rarer.html
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