Hidden discrimination keeps the poor poor, says Equality South West

News from Equality South West is that it is ratcheting up its campaign to tackle economic discrimination after a national report says people’s attitudes to those in the lower-income bracket is “punitive”.

Earlier this year, the charity called on Women’s and Equality Minister Harriet Harman to address what it called the ‘hidden discrimination’ because, it claimed, social class and economic status has just as big an impact in determining someone’s future as other equality factors.

Now it says its stance has been vindicated, with the publication of a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report stating: “Our research uncovers some important drivers of negative attitudes towards those in poverty or in receipt of out-of-work benefits.

“Providing more information about the barriers to opportunity faced by many people could make an important contribution towards building public support for tackling economic inequality.”

Paul Dunn, chief executive of Equality South West, said: “This survey shows us we were barking up the right tree and that there are a lot of negative attitudes towards those of a certain social class who find it hard to get a job just because of who they are or where they live.

“We think the government should introduce a law to remove all personal details from job applications at the sifting stage, so that employers are looking only at the skills and experience of a candidate and not at other irrelevant information.”

Surprisingly, the report also found respondents were more sympathetic towards the tax-evading super-rich than benefit ‘scroungers’.

Paul Dunn said: “There was a time when poorer people, whether in employment or not, were supported by the public.

“But as a result of the focus on personal greed, people are now encouraged to be selfish and think of themselves rather than show an interest in their neighbours or their communities.

“To develop real community cohesion you have to do something to tackle the huge disparity between the rich and those on average and low incomes.”

posted by Cptn