SOCIAL CLASS

• What Is Social Class?
• Social Class & Discrimination
• Why Social Class Matters To Health
• Social Class & Other Equality Groups
• How We Are Addressing Social Class Issues
• Support & Resources
• People's Experiences

Social Class and other protected characteristics

There is a strong link between social class and groups with other protected characteristics, as they are often denied access to power, wealth, status, resources and opportunities.

For example:

1. Employment among all black/minority ethnic groups in Glasgow is 10% lower than for white Glaswegians
2. 68% of disabled people have an income of less than £10,000
3. Women are more likely to be poor than men due to lower paid jobs, part-time jobs and the fact that 90% of lone parents are women
4. In Scotland today the pay gap between women and men can translate to a loss of over £330,000 in a woman’s working life - just because she is a woman.

Social class is not a protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010 however because of its close links to poor health and other forms of inequality NHSGGC includes it in its Equality Scheme and Equality Impact Assessment.