The SMC report, ‘Deepdives: a local perspective on social mobility’, explores the attitudes of people living in Rochdale and Cheshire East towards social mobility, through a series of focus groups. It also examines their experiences of the factors which can pave the way for positive life outcomes, such as quality of education, work opportunities and transport links.

While only 40 miles apart, the two areas have significant differences. More than 20% of residents in Rochdale were classed as income-deprived in 2019, compared to just 8% of those living in Cheshire East. People living in Rochdale were also more likely to have no formal qualifications than their Cheshire East counterparts.

Cheshire East also has ‘favourable’ mobility prospects, which means those from low socio-economic backgrounds who grew up in Cheshire tend to have better outcomes than people living in other parts of the country’. Rochdale, on the other hand, is classed as ‘unfavourable’ according to Social Mobility Commission research.

Focus group participants, living across both areas, agreed that social mobility was a good thing when it allowed people to feel secure and materially safe. But traditional measures of success, such as higher income and career advancement, were less valued than stability, personal happiness, work-life balance and community ties.

Though income and wealth were felt to underpin these, they were seen as “enablers” rather than endpoints in their own right. Jobs that were well paid, but which encroached on family life were rarely prized.

When it comes to having a successful career, more people living in Cheshire East said it was possible to stay in the area, while some from Rochdale reported barriers to what could be achieved locally.

Those from Rochdale, who wanted a successful career, often said they left to find better jobs. Whereas in Cheshire East, people often left for reasons unconnected to the place, and felt they had more reasons to return.

In Rochdale, perceptions of lacking investment, limited local job and educational opportunities were the main challenges facing the area according to its residents. Transport links between the town and other areas were also felt to be in need of improvement, meaning opportunities in nearby cities, including Manchester, were often felt to be out of reach.

Despite this, many of Rochdale’s inhabitants decided to stay in the town, even when moving might have provided better economic opportunities. They cited family ties, the emotional security provided by extended family networks, and a sense of belonging, as key factors for their decision.

In Cheshire East, residents said the area had benefited from past investment and was a “good place to live”.

They shared that good quality schools, transport links, a wide variety of job opportunities and access to green spaces were particular highlights.

Civic pride can serve as a powerful catalyst for social mobility, according to the report. Individuals who are proud of their community, will often have a stake in its future prosperity, a greater sense of social cohesion, and a sense of safety and security. The ability to feel positive about a place is strongly linked to participants’ ability to feel they have opportunities for advancement, the report concludes.

Residents across both areas identified education and skills, employment and employers, and housing and local infrastructure as the factors which enable social mobility.

The quality of education accessible in an area was seen as having an important impact on opportunities for social mobility. Good schools in particular, were highly prized and a key feature, which made somewhere a “good” rather than a “bad” area to live and raise a family.

A high volume of local employers who could provide good jobs, opportunities, and routes to advancement was another factor in what makes for a good socially mobile place. People felt that good employers help to drive investment and improvement, making places more desirable and increasing future opportunities.

In both locations, home ownership was seen as a key indicator of success and mobility because of the security it provided. Housing was frequently cited alongside as a key life outcome that contributed to social mobility.

Alun Francis, Chair of the Social Mobility Commission said:

“Understanding the ways people experience and feel about social mobility should be fundamental to the work done in this area, but these voices are often missing from traditional research.

“This new report gives this important context. It tells us that social mobility should be thought of as a value – one which is understood differently by people living in different situations and places.

“The insight that perceptions of social mobility are often tied to place will be an important cornerstone for supporting and building a place based strategy for social mobility in the UK.”

Professor Richard Blundell, University College London said:

“The extreme differences in social mobility across different towns and cities in the UK is one of the most pressing challenges facing the UK.

“The insights to be found in this deep dive into the causes, concerns and complexities are remarkable. The differences uncovered between Cheshire East and Rochdale bring home the real impact on people’s lives and opportunities.”

The research captures the views of 170 people, who took part in a series of focus groups, conducted on behalf of the SMC by consultancy firm, Public First.

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