Policy and research

“Impetus makes an incredible contribution to the cause of social mobility by supporting a wide variety of charities dedicated to improving the lives of young people who have experienced poverty.”

John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the Office for Students

We influence policy and decision makers so that all young people get the support they need. We find what works by combining the lessons from our charities with our own research.


We focus on supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in three main areas: engaging in school, securing good GCSEs, and getting a job. 

Our policy focus

Educational attainment

Only 43% of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds pass English and maths GCSEs, compared to 73% of their better off peers. This attainment gap is one of the most persistent challenges facing the English education sector, and it’s only grown since the pandemic. But we believe that with the right support, all young people can succeed.
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School engagement

Children in the UK are missing school at an alarming rate. 32 million days of learning were lost to suspension and unauthorised absence in 2022-23, up from 19 million pre-pandemic. If we want young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in school, work, and life, we need to make sure they have the support they need to stay in the classroom. Impetus is committed to tackling school engagement, from school absence to permanent exclusion.
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Widening participation

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are 40% less likely to go to university than their better off peers. As co-founders of the Fair Access Coalition, and conveners of the Third Sector Forum between the sector and the Office for Students, we work to highlight the needs of disadvantaged groups.
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Sustained employment

Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are twice as likely to be not in employment, education, or training (NEET) as their better of peers. As co-chairs of the Youth Employment Group, we work to ensure these young people are not forgotten through the ups and downs of the economy.
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Youth Jobs Gap

Our ground-breaking research presents the most detailed picture of NEET rates in England to date. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are twice as likely to be NEET as their better of peers, and only half of this is due to having lower levels of qualification. The data is available to explore.
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