The UK government is creating a new unit aimed at tackling class-based inequalities, with a particular focus on improving outcomes for white working-class individuals. This initiative is part of a broader review of the government’s approach to equality and will be announced by Bridget Phillipson, the Minister for Women and Equalities. The unit will be housed within the Office for Equality and Opportunity and will examine how class and socioeconomic background affect people across all ethnic groups. Although it will prioritize the needs of white working-class people, it will not be a unit exclusive to them. The move follows the decision to disband the Social Mobility Commission (SMC), a body established in 2010 to monitor social mobility and provide policy advice. Government officials reportedly believe the SMC has not been effective enough in influencing policy, as it could only offer guidance when directly asked by ministers. Some of the 20 civil servants who worked with the SMC are expected to transition to the new unit. The new unit will not grant social class a legal status as a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. Instead, it will act as a central point for the government to analyze class and socioeconomic inequalities in public services and outcomes. One of its initial goals is to introduce a socioeconomic duty, which will require public bodies to consider how their decisions might reduce inequalities faced by lower-income families. These inequalities often stem from factors like limited access to transport or essential services. Phillipson is also expected to announce changes to how deprivation is measured across the UK, including a review of how funding is distributed among services like childcare and healthcare. The SMC’s most recent report, titled "State of the Nation," highlighted deep-rooted disadvantages in former industrial areas across Britain. These regions face significant regional disparities, limited job opportunities, and challenges in providing quality childhood experiences. An independent inquiry into the educational outcomes of white working-class children found that the UK education system is not adequately serving their needs. Commissioned by Star Academies and supported by the Department for Education, the inquiry recommended that high-performing schools in England should be encouraged to admit more disadvantaged white working-class pupils to address ongoing underachievement. At the time, Phillipson, then education secretary, stated that for the first time in a long while, the government would actively fight for the interests of white working-class children, acknowledging the long-standing lack of opportunity these communities have faced. The Sutton Trust, an educational charity, cautioned against singling out one disadvantaged group, pointing out that young people from Black Caribbean backgrounds are just as likely to struggle in becoming top earners. The charity emphasized the importance of addressing inequality across all groups rather than creating divisions between them.