Interpret tables and relationships rather than relying on one average, then explain how jobs, female labour participation, remittances, poverty and public services create…
Unemployment in the United Kingdom (UK) fell in December 2021 to 4.1\%. Market forces would usually mean that wages would increase due to this lower unemployment. However, workers' living standards did not increase. New international trade deals were not made fast enough to offset the decreasing trade between the UK and the European Union.
Explain two factors that could influence living standards, apart from unemployment rates.
Logical explanation which might include:
- income / wage levels (1) higher wages allow people to afford more goods and services (1)
- education (1) high education levels lead greater skills and to better paid jobs / lead to high human
development index (1)
- health standards / healthcare ( 1 ) high health standards
lead to better enjoyment of life / less illness / better well- being (1)
- cost of living / inflation rate (1) affecting purchasing power (1)
- working hours ( 1 ) lower working hours gives more
leisure time (1)
- hygiene / sanitation (1) good water quality prevents
diseases (1)
- environmental standards (1) e.g. pollution reduces quality of life (1)
- availability of public / merit goods (1) e.g. street
lights / parks (1)
- crime rates (1) low crime rates improve safety / quality of
life (1)
4
One mark for each factor identified and one mark for each explanation.
Accept arguments which describe reasons for either low / high living standards.
Accept answers that give HDI (1) with reference to either GDP per head, education or health.