Pension inequalities and policy responses
Pension inequalities and policy responses
Pension policies are an increasingly important topic in British elections. This paper discusses what the first year under a Labour government has meant for pension policy, drawing on the Labour Party’s pre-election pledges, before critically considering future directions of pension policy and areas not currently addressed by the Labour government, or where policies could go further. The paper argues that structural inequalities in the labour market and the pension system persist, with consistent evidence of gender and ethnic inequalities in labour market participation, the nature of such participation, pension outcomes, and a range of financial and non-financial wellbeing indicators. Placing adequacy and fairness at the heart of Labour policy can send a strong message on the government’s part of understanding the complex interactions of opportunities and costs across the lifecourse for individuals from diverse backgrounds, and anticipating further demographic and socio-economic changes in the British society and economy.
labour, pensions, adequacy, fairness, sustainability
Vlachantoni, Athina
06a52fbb-f2a0-4c81-9fbc-d6efc736c6cb
Morrissey, Suzy
16c1aac0-a989-4168-9eec-633df3565210
Vlachantoni, Athina
06a52fbb-f2a0-4c81-9fbc-d6efc736c6cb
Morrissey, Suzy
16c1aac0-a989-4168-9eec-633df3565210
Vlachantoni, Athina and Morrissey, Suzy
(2026)
Pension inequalities and policy responses.
Social Policy and Society.
(doi:10.1017/S1474746426101456).
Abstract
Pension policies are an increasingly important topic in British elections. This paper discusses what the first year under a Labour government has meant for pension policy, drawing on the Labour Party’s pre-election pledges, before critically considering future directions of pension policy and areas not currently addressed by the Labour government, or where policies could go further. The paper argues that structural inequalities in the labour market and the pension system persist, with consistent evidence of gender and ethnic inequalities in labour market participation, the nature of such participation, pension outcomes, and a range of financial and non-financial wellbeing indicators. Placing adequacy and fairness at the heart of Labour policy can send a strong message on the government’s part of understanding the complex interactions of opportunities and costs across the lifecourse for individuals from diverse backgrounds, and anticipating further demographic and socio-economic changes in the British society and economy.
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pension-inequalities-and-policy-responses
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e-pub ahead of print date: 27 March 2026
Keywords:
labour, pensions, adequacy, fairness, sustainability
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Local EPrints ID: 511303
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/511303
ISSN: 1474-7464
PURE UUID: 087cb045-bbcb-4004-9178-7d5bb43c9119
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Date deposited: 11 May 2026 16:50
Last modified: 12 May 2026 01:43
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Author:
Suzy Morrissey
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