Wandsworth Council shortlisted for Public Sector Organisation of the Year at UK Social Mobility Awards

This recognition underscores the council's commitment to social mobility and creating a fairer borough with opportunities for all residents. Wandsworth has led the way in this area, making socio-economic class a protected characteristic under the Equality Act. This is something the government has pledged to introduce at a national level.

The UK Social Mobility Awards - also known as ‘the SOMO’s - recognise action that has promoted and increased social mobility in the workplace. The awards seek to elevate social mobility as a cause equal to the level of other important diversity issues.

Wandsworth’s submission focused heavily on the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and support offered to help those people disproportionately impacted. Wandsworth put together a comprehensive, £15million Cost of Living fund (the biggest in London) to support families and individuals across the borough. The fund helped to keep council tax bills as the lowest in the country, created a network of community spaces, and provided cash vouchers to lower-income families to help cover the cost of new school uniforms.

The awards submission also showed that Wandsworth is targeting support so it reaches young people most in need. The council has made sure that children don’t go hungry during the school holidays by providing food vouchers to those eligible for free school meals. In partnership with Citizens Advice, there is an extensive Cost of Living Hub to ensure residents can access all the help they need and are entitled to, including guidance around future skills, training and apprenticeships.

The council’s ambitious Homes for Wandsworth programme was also highlighted as it is on track to deliver over 1,000 new council rent homes for local families. The scheme prioritises communities by giving local residents and their families the opportunity to stay in the areas that they have grown up in. This is a vital way of embedding social mobility across the borough – not uprooting residents so that luxury flats can be built, but supporting people to put down roots where their support-networks already exist.

Another area where the council uses its influence to embed social mobility is around supply chains and contracts. Contracts put out for tender require staff to be paid the Living Wage. In all procurement, the council requires bidders to demonstrate how they will deliver social value. A recent success in Wandsworth was a package of support worth in excess of £1.3million from a major supplier who committed to hiring eight employees from Priority Groups (unemployed people, care leavers, ex-offenders, disabled residents, veterans, modern slavery survivors).

Finally, the submission emphasised how practical support for lower-income residents is key to boosting social mobility in the borough. In the last decade, 2,500 residents have been supported into employment using the specialist jobs brokerage service Work Match. The scheme links local jobseekers with businesses looking for new workers or apprentices.  Jobseekers are matched with suitable roles and receive extensive support including training, interview coaching and guidance with applications. This service helps identify and unlock employment opportunities for local residents and introduces businesses to suitable candidates they might not otherwise have connected with.

Simon Hogg, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said:

“We are ambitious for everyone in Wandsworth and that’s why we have made sure that social mobility is embedded in everything we do.

“Last year, we adopted socio-economic status as something we must consider in all our policies and service design. Practically speaking, this means class and social mobility is actively considered right from the start of any new scheme.

“I’d like to thank council staff and partners for working so hard to improve social mobility in the borough over the past year. There is much more to do but we should be proud of being shortlisted as a Social Mobility Awards finalist.”

Tunde Banjoko OBE, Founder of the UK Social Mobility Awards, said:

“Our vision is for every employer and educator in the UK to guide meaningful action to achieve socio-economic diversity, equity and inclusion, so we’re thrilled with the action shown by this year’s finalists.”

Wandsworth and Richmond Councils have been shortlisted alongside five other public sector organisations across the country.

The UK Social Mobility Awards 2024 winners will be announced at a gala event which will be held on October 3rd. Find out more: www.somo.uk