A new toolkit was launched last week to help creative industry employers adopt an inclusive approach to hiring and progressing staff from low socio-economic backgrounds. According to new research, just 23% of the music and performing arts workforce comes from a working-class background, compared with 39% of the wider UK workforce.

The Socio-economic Diversity and Inclusion: toolkit for the creative industries was developed by the Social Mobility Commission in partnership with businesses across the creative industries with the aim of widening access to the creative industries for people from working class backgrounds. It offers practical support and guidance to creative employers on how to identify and remove invisible barriers that arise at every stage of the employee journey.