The Class Ceiling

Politicians continually tell us that anyone can get ahead. But is that really true? This important best-selling book takes readers behind the closed doors of elite employers to reveal how class affects who gets to the top. Friedman and Laurison show that a powerful 'class pay gap’ exists in Britain’s elite occupations. Even when those from working-class backgrounds make it into prestigious jobs they earn on average 16% less than colleagues from privileged backgrounds. But why is this the case? Drawing on 175 interviews across four case studies – television accountancy architecture and acting – they explore the complex barriers facing the upwardly mobile. This is a rich ambitious book that demands we take seriously not just the glass but also the class ceiling.