Pupils in these families achieved half a grade lower per subject than they would be expected to, even taking previous grades and other aspects of household finances into account. The authors say this raises concerns about the long-term impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
The study also found that just over four in five (81%) of parents and more than half (54%) of young people in families struggling financially report poor mental health. One in ten young people live in households classed as ‘food insecure’, meaning they lack reliable access to enough affordable and healthy food.
The COVID Social Mobility and Opportunities (COSMO) study is jointly led by the Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities (CEPEO), the Centre for Longitudinal Studies and the charity Sutton Trust. The study, the largest of its kind, is tracking the lives of a cohort of 13,000 young people in England who are taking A-levels and other qualifications in 2023.
The report, published by the Sutton Trust, finds that rates of poor mental health were particularly bad for those whose financial situation has worsened since the pandemic. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of parents and over half (53%) of young people who started using food banks during the pandemic reported poor mental health, compared to 33% of parents and 41% of young people who had not.
