New inequalities : the changing distribution of income and wealth in the United Kingdom

Starting in the late 1970s and gathering pace in the 1980s, the gaps between rich and poor in the United Kingdom have widened. This book contains results from a major research program that investigated the varied factors that led to this major social and economic change. Aspects covered include the changing shape of the income distributions as a whole, the rising earnings differentials between high paid and low paid, the changing contribution of women's earnings to family incomes, spatial polarization between rich and poor neighborhoods, and the links between income and wealth distributions. Introduction: After The Turning Point / John Hills -- Seeking To Explain The Distribution Of Income / A.b. Atkinson -- The Changing Shape Of The Uk Income Distribution: Kernel Density Estimates / Frank A. Cowell, Stephen P. Jenkins And Julie A. Litchfield -- Uk Household Cost-of-living Indices, 1979-92 / Ian Crawford -- Cost-of-living Differences Between The Regions Of The United Kingdom / Vani K. Borooah, Patrick P.l. Mcgregor, Patricia M. Mckee And Gwyneth E. Mulholland -- What Has Happened To The Wages Of Men Since 1966? / Amanda Gosling, Stephen Machin And Costas Meghir -- Women's Pay And Family Incomes In Britain, 1979-91 / Susan Harkness, Stephen Machin And Jane Waldfogel -- More Work In Few Households? / Paul Gregg And Jonathan Wadsworth -- Self-employment And The Distribution Of Income / Nigel Meager, Gill Court And Janet Moralee -- Fairer Or Fowler? The Effects Of The 1986 Social Security Act On Family Incomes / Martin Evans -- Aspects Of The Changing Geopgraphy Of Poverty And Wealth / Anne E. Green -- Two Nations? Changing Patterns Of Income And Wealth In Two Contrasting Areas / Michael Noble And George Smith -- Patterns Of Financial Wealth-holding In The United Kingdom / James Banks, Andrew Dilnot And Hamish Low -- Home-ownership, Housing Wealth And Wealth Distribution In Britain / Chris Hamnett And Jenny Seavers. Edited By John Hills. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 374-387) And Index. Since the late 1970s, the gap between the rich and poor in Britain has widened considerably. It is now recognised that the growth of inequality in the United Kingdom has been faster than that of any comparable industrial country. This is obviously an important issue, and one which after a long period of neglect is attracting increasing attention. Economists and others concerned with social problems linked with rising inequality are making efforts to understand the factors which have contributed to the current situation. Based on the results of the first major research programme in this area since the Royal Commission of the 1970s, this book examines income and wealth distribution in the United Kingdom over the last two decades. The country's leading specialists in the area tackle the problem from a wide variety of perspectives. Contributions include: the analysis of income distribution; the effects of greater female participation in the labour force; social security reform; and geographical variation at the national and local scale. Understanding the complexity of these, and other, factors is crucial to designing policies which can begin to cope with income inequalities. It is recognised that the gap between rich and poor in Britain is widening faster than in any comparable country. This important issue is attracting increasing attention after long neglect. Economists and others concerned with problems linked with inequality are investigating factors contributing to the situation. Based on results of the first recent major research programme in this area, this book, first published in 1996, examines wealth distribution in the United Kingdom over the last two decades. Leading specialists in the area tackle the problem from a wide variety of perspectives. Contributions include: the analysis of income distribution; the effects of greater female participation in the labour force; social security reform; and geographical variation at the national and local scale. Understanding the complexity of these factors is crucial to designing policies which can begin to cope with income inequalities. The rich-poor gap is widening faster in Britain than any comparable country. This book, first published in 1996, examines wealth distribution developments. Leading specialists tackle the issue from a variety of perspectives. This book will interest economists, policy makers and those dealing with effects of inequality. The gap between rich and poor in Britain is widening faster than in any comparable country. This work offers an economic investigation of the reasons for such inequity. Income distribution, rising female employment, social security reform and geographical factors are among those examined More than 20 years ago the then Labour government established a Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth (RCDIW).