Sign in

Meri Ahlberg

@meriahlberg.bsky.social
69 followers 59 following 5 posts

Senior Policy Adviser at Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Interested in employment policy, labour migration, and making cities more liveable.

PostsRepliesMedia
Meri Ahlberg @meriahlberg.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Long(long!)-awaited consultation on employment status is finally coming. Interestingly it's framed entirely in terms of tackling bogus self-employment - no word on single worker status. Uber drivers et al. won't get core rights like sick pay and parental pay, and companies won't pay employer NICs.
001
Reposted by Meri Ahlberg
Francisca Ladouch @franladouch.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
1/ What are the latest ONS labour market stats? The UK labour market is showing shifting signals in April–June 2026. Rising unemployment earlier this year was mainly driven by more people returning to the labour force. Now, the weakness is starting to show up in employment. Read the thread 👇🧵
184
Meri Ahlberg @meriahlberg.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
Come and work with me at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation! www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/po...
101
Reposted by Meri Ahlberg
Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
🚨New report out today! 🗣️ @profjanegreen.bsky.social: “What really matters right now for households, and for politics, are people’s feelings of economic security. “Having peace of mind about finances should something go wrong; being able to plan; feeling confident about the future.”
21513
Reposted by Meri Ahlberg
Resolution Foundation @resolutionfoundation.org · 15/05/2025
The announced changes to disability benefits will lead to very substantial falls in income for some families. While some families will gain a small amount from the changes, others will lose thousands of pounds a year.
Chart showing Annual impact of changes to PIP and Universal Credit, by family characteristics: UK, 2029-30
Losses will fall on those who no longer qualify for PIP daily living, who will be £3,700 worse off in 2029-30 (in 2024-25 prices) if they are receiving the standard rate or £5,700 worse off if they receive the enhanced rate; those who lose Carer’s Allowance because someone they care for no longer qualifies for PIP, who will be £4,300 worse off; and those who claim UC after April 2026 and receive the new lower UC-H rate, who will lose £2,400. Current recipients of UC-H will have that element frozen from 2026, meaning they will lose £210 by 2029-30. The biggest losses could hit couples with a disabled member and somebody who cares for them full-time.
156
Meri Ahlberg @meriahlberg.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Excellent article calling out the government's failure to address how the visa system drives exploitation and their choice to increase hostility instead. "Contrary to what this white paper suggests, exploitation doesn’t happen because there are too many of us..." www.bigissue.com/opinion/immi...
bigissue.com
Keir Starmer is booting migrants out of his vision for workers' rights
The government's immigration white paper is a classic case of victim blaming, writes Dr Dora-Olivia Vicol, CEO of the Work Rights Centre.
021
Meri Ahlberg @meriahlberg.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Powerful piece by a care worker in response to the immigration changes. I echo her point re the failure to address abuse. "Meanwhile, nothing said by the Labour government aims to robustly investigate serious abuses we often face by British employers." www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
thebureauinvestigates.com
Opinion: Migrant workers prop up the UK’s social care system. Now…
Labour’s crackdown will break a promise made to workers like me – and leave the system in disrepair
050
Reposted by Meri Ahlberg
Tom MacInnes @tommacinnes.bsky.social · 25/11/2024
New report from us on changes needed in statutory sick pay, written up in the Guardian today. UK has one of the lowest levels of SSP anywhere - £3 an hour for someone in full time work www.theguardian.com/law/2024/nov... @joshhalliday.bsky.social
theguardian.com
Ministers told to raise sick pay as report says 1.6m would be unable to pay bills
Low-paid workers unwell for four weeks would be in hardship despite changes in employment bill, charity finds
43316