International Women’s Day

Baroness Merron Excerpts

Friday 8th March 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to be part of this International Women’s Day debate. I too wish the noble Baroness, Lady Casey, well for her maiden speech, which I know will be the first of many significant contributions to your Lordships’ House. I draw attention to my interests in the register.

I am proud to be an ambassador for Smart Works, a charity supporting unemployed women into work through one-to-one coaching and dressing services. Its purpose is rooted in the reality that our chances of success are affected by how confident we feel and how we present ourselves. After finding myself unemployed, I also found the privilege of volunteering for Smart Works, working with our clients to find the right outfit that would let them look in the mirror and say—and believe—“Yes, I can do this”.

Every story we heard was personal. Every job that was bravely gone for was different. I supported women who had been in prison; who had been trafficked; who had not worked for years while caring for others; who had been struck by ill health, relationship break-ups or financial ruin; who could not look at themselves in the mirror; who did not have the know-how or confidence in what the right thing to wear was, even if they could have afforded it—in other words, just women living in today’s world.

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of hosting the launch of the Smart Works unemployment index in the House of Lords. Through the evidence-based report, stories, experiences and aspirations are expressed about what it means to be an unemployed woman seeking work in the UK today and why it matters so much to have a job.

In the last 10 years alone, Smart Works has helped more than 35,000 women. Nearly seven in 10 get a job within a month of their visit. This is a remarkable testimony. I pay tribute to the skill of the volunteers, trustees and staff, as well as the referral agencies. I also acknowledge the generosity of many companies that provide top-class clothing free for clients to keep. I thank the individuals who make donations, including many a Baroness in your Lordships’ House who has kindly donated work wear.

However, there is little joy to be found in the report. It confirms that the circumstances in which women seek work have deteriorated in an economy with record levels of inactivity, low growth and low productivity. The report gives a voice to more than 3,700 women of all ages, ethnicities and communities. What they say is not easy to hear. They find it harder to secure work despite applying for more jobs and attending more interviews. They speak about the pressure of the cost of living crisis and the desperation it creates. They reveal that they have had to apply for lower-skilled and lower-paid jobs for which they are overqualified, simply because they have to make ends meet.

Here are the harsh facts about the last year, on which I would welcome the Minister’s view. Women applied for an average of 33 jobs, compared with 28 in the previous year, with more than one in five applying for over 50 jobs. Despite their efforts, they had the chance to attend only three interviews on average, rarely receiving any feedback on why their applications were unsuccessful—that is just plain rude. Furthermore, we hear that 70% of women have had to apply for lower-paid and lower-skilled work, up from 62% in 2022. Well over half reported feeling less confident after going through the application process, which had worn down their confidence.

The one thing that has not changed is just how important it is to have a job. Women want to work because it is part of who they are, it unlocks opportunities not just for them but for their loved ones, and it gives them a sense of purpose. I am sure we can all identify with that.

Women cannot be kept waiting for change, so I want to put to the Minister some immediate proposals on which the Government can work with employers, and to which I hope to get a positive response today. Women need clear job descriptions with salary, location and options for flexibility listed up front. They need reimbursement of costs associated with applications for jobs. Regardless of salary and the qualifications expected, all roles should be advertised where unemployed people will see them. Finally, on one of the points I emphasised earlier, unsuccessful job applicants should receive useful and objective feedback. Women are one of the greatest assets we have in our economy; it is time to act on that.