Policy area: Society & diversity

Reports

After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changed public attitudes?

This report from UK think tank British Future explores findings from the British Future immigration attitudes tracker. ‘After the fall: Why hasn’t falling immigration changes public attitudes?’ is the 2026 report from the British Future Immigration Attitudes Tracker, which has followed public attitudes to immigration for over a decade since 2015. The new research reveals...

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The good life?

This report from UK think tank the Sutton Trust explores the relationship between social mobility and happiness. Is social mobility just about jobs and income? Does being upwardly mobile make you happy? Does socio-economic background determine who gets to live good, healthy and happy lives? This report examines the connection between happiness, wellbeing, life satisfaction,...

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Bye bye baby

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation assesses Britain’s falling birth rate since the early 2010s. This briefing explores Britain’s recent baby bust and whether it should be a cause for concern for policymakers. Most developed countries are grappling with a falling birth rate, and the UK is no different. There have always...

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Where’s the demos in democracy?

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies demonstrates that democracy delivers development better than other regimes. Democracy is in crisis. Anti-democratic politicians and anti-rights movements are becoming more popular. Simultaneously, growing inequality around the world – a product of neoliberal capitalist societies – has left millions of people feeling left behind...

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Vital institutions 01: Reform and renewal of the Equality and Human Rights Commission

This report from UK think tank the Future Governance Forum calls for the reform of the EHRC to strengthen equality and human rights protection for people living in the UK.  Our recommendations for how the Commission can restore its credibility include: being politically neutral, leading public debates in sensitive areas and making greater use of...

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England united: Pride not prejudice

This report from UK think tank British Future offers a toolkit for those who want to speak up for an inclusive England. The ‘England United; Pride not prejudice’ toolkit aims to help mainstream voices confidently champion an open, shared sense of Englishness. It stems from a recognition that the far right is trying to co-opt English identity...

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Countering backlash: Reclaiming gender justice

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies conceptualises gender backlash as a multidimensional attack on gender equality. This report distils six years of collaborative research (from late 2019 to early 2026) from the IDS-led Countering Backlash programme, by IDS itself and 11 partners across seven countries on how contemporary gender backlash...

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Far from settled: The government’s ‘earned settlement’ consultation

This report from UK think tank IPPR examines the government's 'earned settlement' consultation. How long should people have to wait until they can permanently settle in the UK? This is the core question underpinning the Home Office’s ‘earned settlement’ policy, currently out for consultation. While the measures have received surprisingly little attention compared to some...

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Our BBC: A blueprint for a more independent and future-proofed BBC

This report from UK think tank Demos sets out a new model of BBC governance where public participation is hardwired into its design. The BBC represents a fundamental component of the UK and indeed the world’s information infrastructure. At the commencement of the BBC’s Charter Renewal process in 2026, this paper proposes routes to securing...

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Making higher education work for Indigenous peoples in Mexico

This report from UK think tank the Institute for Policy Research provides recommendations that address six recurring challenges for Indigenous students in Mexico. Working with more than 300 individuals across six Mexican states between 2021 and 2024, the researchers analysed the role that higher education plays in supporting the social and economic development of Indigenous...

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Noise and nuance: What the public really thinks about immigration

This report from UK think tank British Future explores what the public really thinks about immigration. The British Future/Ipsos Immigration Attitudes Tracker has followed public attitudes to immigration for a decade since 2015. Research for this 18th wave of the tracker surveyed 3,003 adults across Great Britain, from 16 June to 2 July 2025. The report...

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Ballot of the sexes

This report from UK think tank Onward examines the growing gender divide in political attitudes. Ballot of the Sexes examines a growing gender divide in political attitudes and voting intentions in the UK, particularly among younger voters. Based on polling of 5,000 people aged 16–40, the report finds that men and women are drifting in...

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Before the fall

This report from UK think tank the Resolution Foundation looks at distribution of household wealth in Britain and the impact on families. This report is the fourth in our series of ‘audits’ of households’ wealth, offering the most comprehensive assessment of wealth inequality in Britain. It comes against a backdrop of an unprecedented mix of...

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Increasing job security: The potential impact of employment rights reforms in the UK

This report from UK think tank the Work Foundation examines the potential impact of employment rights reform in the UK. Work insecurity has been a persistent feature of the UK labour market for over two decades. In 2023, our analysis found that over one in five UK workers (21.4%) – around 6.8 million people –...

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Better evidence, better outcomes

This report from UK think tank PBE makes the business case for a Civil Society Evidence Organisation. Civil society is one of the UK’s greatest assets, yet too often, it is held back by structural barriers that prevent it operating at full potential. That is why we are calling for the co-creation of a Civil...

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Related Events

1 June 2026

Location: Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PQ

Think tank: Institute for Fiscal Studies

Challenging Inequalities: implications of the IFS Deaton Review

This event hosted by UK think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, will discuss the findings of the IFS-Deaton Review. Inequalities in the UK - in education, health, income, wealth and political power, as well as across places, ethnicities and genders - matter to many people and are the...

4 June 2026

Location: Belgrave Neighbourhood Centre, Rothley Street, Leicester, LE4 6LF

Think tank: British Future

How can we best commemorate South Asian service in the world wars?

This event hosted by UK think tank British Future explores and shares stories of South Asian service and sacrifice during the World Wars. Hosted by British Future in partnership with the UK South Asian Digital Archive, with support from the Royal British Legion, this event is part of the My Family Legacy project, which explores...

9 June 2026

Location: Central London

Think tank: Social Market Foundation

Local misinformation: social media groups and the role of local journalism

This event hosted by UK think tank the Social Market Foundation launches new research on the level and nature of misinformation found in local social media forums. The public typically trusts local institutions more than it does national ones. But with a decline in the usage of local newspapers and radio, platforms such as Facebook,...

9 June 2026

Location: Central London

Think tank: Bright Blue

Keynote speech with Olivia Bailey MP

This event hosted by UK think tank Bright Blue sets out the Government’s vision for building a world-class pre-school education system. This speech comes at a critical moment for early years policy in England. Despite significant government and parental investment in formal childcare in recent decades, serious challenges around the affordability, quality, flexibility and sustainability...

12 June 2026

Location: Online

Think tank: Bright Blue

Ludgate Lecture with Professor Rob Ford

This event hosted by UK think tank Bright Blue discusses 'Is this the end of two-party politics?'. We are delighted to invite you to join our next Ludgate Lecture, a series where we hear from prominent thinkers and decision makers on the biggest issues of our time. For our next event, we will be hosting Professor...