COVID-19 shone a light on the devastating impact of structural inequalities in our society. The failure to address long term inequalities for different groups in health, housing, employment, education, jobs and the wider environment meant that some groups were much more at risk of severe illness and death from covid than others.

We’re still in a pandemic, but now on top of covid, we are in the midst of a cost of living crisis.

Join the Structural Inequalities Alliance and our expert guests as we identify some of the long term solutions that will ensure the same groups are not always made vulnerable in times of national crisis.

Attendees will hear from experts in their field as they discuss social, policy and economic issues affecting the living standards of different groups, and what more we need to do to ensure that long term systemic inequalities are addressed.

Our speakers will discuss how mental health is affected by the cost of living crisis, and highlight how particular groups - low income households (including pensioners), disabled groups, Black and ethnic minority groups and those with ‘No Recourse to Public Funds are more likely to be at the brunt end of the cost of living crisis. We will also be exploring what more local authorities, central government and businesses can do to address the cost of living crisis on vulnerable groups.

Speakers include:

• Celia Hensman, co-founding director of the Disability Policy Centre
• Helen Undy, Chief Executive, Money and Mental Health
• Helen Flynn, Head of Policy, Research, and Campaigns, Just Fair
• Osama Bhutta, Director of Campaigns Policy & Communications, Shelter
• Campaigner with the NRPF action group at Praxis, Olivia

Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to our guest speakers during the session.

About the Structural Inequalities alliance (SIA)

SIA is led by The Equality Trust, and includes CBI, ProBono Economics, Equally Ours, Resolution Foundation, Oxfam, Shelter, Women’s Budget Group, UCL Public Policy, the Health Foundation, Black Equity Organisation, Centre for Mental Health, John Ellerman Foundation and many others. We have been holding joint webinars since the beginning of 2022, exploring key social, policy and economic policies (e.g. Levelling Up) affecting structural inequalities.