Social and welfare issues
Effective social policy protects individuals and their families, and helps them lead a fulfilling life. We identify policies that help individuals and their families, and make societies and economies work more effectively.
Latest analysis on the cost of living crisis - learn about minimum wages, income support & pensions in times of rising inflation.
What is social mobility and why is it important? Find out the latest analysis from the OECD...
Pensions protected during COVID-19 pandemic but ageing challenges persist. Learn more with Pensions at a Glance 2021...
Over the Rainbow? The Road to LGBTI Inclusion. Learn more...
What are the risks that matter as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic? Find out the results of OECD's latest survey.
The Covid-19 crisis highlights the urgency to give all young people the support they need and reinforce their confidence in their future prospects. Learn more...
Governments need to do more to support middle-class households who are struggling to maintain their lifestyles as their stagnating incomes fail to keep up with the rising costs of housing and education. Read more...
Action is needed to tackle stalled social mobility. See the latest findings...
Policy-oriented research on enhancing child well-being and promoting equal opportunities among children
Progress on gender equality far too slow. See the new report The Pursuit of Gender Equality: An Uphill Battle.
Better Life Initiative: Measuring well-being and progress
The OECD Family Database provides cross-national indicators on family outcomes and family policies
Population ageing and rising inequality will hit younger generations hard. New report on preventing ageing unequally
Data
Find a wide range of data on social issues and compare how other countries are doing.
- Affordable Housing Database
- Child Well-Being Data Portal
- Family Database
- Gender Data Portal
- How's Life? 2017: Measuring Well-being
- Income Distribution and Poverty Database
- Pensions data
- Social Expenditure Indicators
- Social Benefit Recipients Database
- Society at a Glance
- Tax and benefit indicators
- Wealth Distribution Database
What's new?
- Latest analysis on the cost of living crisis
- Are opportunities equal in OECD countries? Learn about social mobility
- Modernising Social Services in Spain
- Disability, Work and Inclusion
- OECD Child Well-being Dashboard
- G7 dashboard on gender gaps 2022
- When the only safe place is work: How employers can fight domestic violence
Discover...
Gender equality is not just a moral imperative, but is also key to the creation of stronger, more sustainable and more inclusive economies. Find out more...
Social mobility
Social mobility refers to change in a person's socio-economic situation, either in relation to their parents (inter-generational mobility) or throughout their lifetime (intra-generational mobility). It can be measured in terms of earnings, income, or social class, but can also be understood to encompass other well-being dimensions such as health and education.
Compare your income
What's your perception of income inequality? Compare your income to see whether your perception is in line with reality. In June 2020, an updated edition was released to explore how people’s perceptions of inequality impact their willingness to support redistribution and to see what areas users would prioritise for public spending.
