Approximately one quarter of the UK population have a migration background (first- or second-generation immigrants). Some ethnic minority groups are more likely to be in atypical or flexible employment than the White British majority. In particular during a time of health and economic crisis, such as the COVID–19 pandemic, those ethnic groups were expected to be economically more vulnerable than other groups. This study shows the increased vulnerability of some ethnic minority groups during COVID–19 by looking at their labour market outcomes compared to White British. Specifically, we ask whether it was their disproportionate presence in flexible employment or in shut-down occupations that made some ethnic minority groups vulnerable to adverse labour market outcomes during the COVID–19 recession? Using the COVID–19 recession in the UK as a case study, we employ weighted linear probability models with 2021 data from the Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS) to look at changes in economic indicators across ethnic groups and gender. We report heterogeneity in flexible employment rates within the non-White group and between the non-White and the White British group. By using a conditional decomposition method, we aim to show that those ethnic minority groups who were disproportionately on flexible contracts experienced worse economic effects than the White British group. The collection consists of the Stata Do-File which can be used to reproduce the study.

Was it their disproportionate presence in flexible employment or in shut-down occupations that made some ethnic minority groups vulnerable to adverse labour market outcomes during the COVID–19 recession? Using the COVID–19 recession in the UK as a case study, we employ weighted linear probability models with 2021 data from the Evidence for Equality National Survey (EVENS) to look at changes in economic indicators across ethnic groups and gender. We report heterogeneity in flexible employment rates within the non-White group and between the non-White and the White British group. By using a conditional decomposition method, we conclude that those ethnic minority groups who were disproportionately on flexible contracts experienced worse economic effects than the White British group.

As of 2021, the countries in Europe with the greatest share of national wealth taken by the top 10 percent of wealthy people were Russia, Turkey, and Hungary, with over two-thirds of wealth in Russia being owned by the wealthiest decile. On the other hand, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Denmark were the countries with the smallest share of national wealth going to the top 10 percent, with more than half of wealth in the Netherlands going to the bottom 90 percent. Ireland, Poland, and Greece stand out, as in these countries the 50 percent of people who own the least wealth in fact have negative net wealth, meaning that the value of their debt is greater than the value of their gross wealth.

This paper aimed to ascertain if there is a statistically significant difference in linearity or directional effect of urbanisation on income inequality in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. To explore the research question it uses panel estimations to introduce into the literature a bi-regional analysis of the relationship between urbanisation and income inequality over the period 1990-2020. This was conducted using panel estimations and dynamic panel Generalized Method of Moments techniques. The findings show that Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa differ in terms of the directional effect of urbanisation on income inequality, as well as linearity of the relationship. First estimates for Asia indicate a statistically significant inverse-U shaped relationship between urbanisation and income inequality, with an implied turning point at 23% urbanisation. Whereas estimates for Sub-Saharan Africa indicate a statistically significant negative linear relationship between urbanisation and income inequality, with a larger statistically significant negative linear effect in the long run. Future urbanisation in both regions should reduce income inequality on aggregate, ceteris paribus, as 46/48 Asia nations have passed the implied turning point as of 2020.