UK | Deep Gulf Between Happy and Unhappy Classes in Britain

The gap between happy and unhappy classes in Glasgow, UK, is deepening. The country is moving towards a social division that has not been seen since the Victorian era. 

The Think Tank Center of Social Justice, which includes former editor Martin Eunor of The Sunday Times, former governor of the Bank of England Lord King, and former Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham, among others, states that over the past 15 years, the condition of the unhappy classes has not improved. The reasons for this include stagnant real average wages, inadequate housing, family breakdown, crime, issues facing the younger generation, absenteeism from schools, mental health, and other problems. 

During the COVID pandemic, the difference between both classes further increased. The Think Tank suggests that the UK has socially broken down, and the situation is leaning towards further deterioration. It is time not only to discuss but also to take practical measures for the fair distribution of financial resources. We need to understand the basic causes of poverty, debts, education, employment, and addiction. This research includes individuals with income less than half of the median. 

Sixty percent of the general public said that the quality of life in their area is good, while in the most deprived areas, 40 percent of such individuals said so. The most deprived population stated that working for employment in comparison to receiving social security is not beneficial for them. Low-paying and insecure job standards do not provide them with better opportunities for advancement.

 According to the report, 13 percent of the general population complained about mental health, while in the deprived population, this rate was 40 percent. More than two-thirds of individuals in deprived areas are affected by family system breakdown compared to the general population in facing challenges.