Children from low-income backgrounds who grow up in areas where people of different economic backgrounds mix and form friendships tend to earn more in later life, according to new research.
A study has found that those who experienced “cross-class friendships” in childhood enjoyed an average boost of £5,100 per year in earnings by adulthood. The findings also suggest that social mixing positively affects happiness and overall wellbeing.
The power of social mixing
The research, which analysed anonymised Facebook data from around 20 million UK residents aged 25 to 64, highlights the benefits of friendships that bridge economic divides.
The study found that cross-class friendships were more common in London and the South East, while lower levels of what researchers call “economic connectedness” were observed in northern England, South Wales, the Scottish central belt, and Northern Ireland.
Researchers noted that childhood friendships are often formed in neighbourhoods and schools, but hobbies such as sports clubs and extracurricular activities provide additional opportunities for children from different backgrounds to mix.
They said:
“High and low-income individuals in these groups form cross-class friendships at a higher rate than would be expected, given the rate at which they encounter each other in these spaces.”
Financial and social benefits of cross-class friendships
The study mapped the earnings of adults at age 28, using data on those who had been eligible for free school meals at age 16 as an indicator of low-income backgrounds.
When this financial data was combined with social connection data from Facebook, the researchers found a strong link between economic connectedness and social mobility.
They estimated that children from low-income families who grew up in the top 10% of the most economically connected local authorities earned on average 38% more per year (£5,100) as adults compared to those from areas in the bottom 10% of economic connectedness.
Beyond financial gains, the research also found that happiness and wellbeing were higher among those with a more economically diverse social network.
“After controlling for personal income, people with the highest share of very high-income friends (one in five) report 5% higher happiness levels and 23% greater trust, compared to people with the lowest share of very high-income friends (one in 40).”
How to encourage more cross-class friendships?
The research, published on Monday, was conducted by BIT (Behavioural Insights Team) in collaboration with Meta (Facebook’s parent company).
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Dr Antonio Silva, principal investigator and head of social cohesion at BIT, highlighted the importance of fostering economic connectedness:
“As expected, cross-class friendships are more likely to happen in wealthier places, but we still find a substantial amount of variation between areas.”
He added that while this is still early research, the findings indicate that cross-class friendships can significantly impact future earnings, happiness, and social trust.
“As most friendships are made in neighbourhoods and schools, these settings should be where we really focus on reducing segregation.”
Dr Silva suggested that policymakers could explore new ways to promote social mixing, such as:
- Adjusting school catchment areas to ensure a more diverse mix of pupils
- Building more mixed-income housing developments
- Creating inclusive extracurricular activities that bring together children from different financial backgrounds
Bridging the social divide for a stronger society
The study’s findings reinforce the argument that economic and social integration can play a significant role in boosting social mobility and personal wellbeing.
Encouraging cross-class friendships could help break cycles of poverty and provide new opportunities for disadvantaged children. However, addressing housing and school segregation will require long-term policy changes to ensure a more socially connected and economically inclusive Britain.
