The single most important change in the British labour market over the last two decades has been the re-emergence of mass unemployment. This study focuses on six areas: Aberdeen, Kirkcaldy, Rochdale, Coventry, Northampton, and Swindon, and investigates the effect of being unemployed on individuals’ attitudes to work, their social relationships, and their psychological health. It breaks entirely new ground, using large-scale surveys that allow direct comparison with people in employment and taking into account a wide range of variables. It will become a standard work of reference on the subject. Contributors: Brendan Burchell, Richard Davies, Peter Elias, Jonathan Gershuny, Richard Lampard, Roger Penn, Duncan Gallie, Catherine Marsh, Carolyn Vogler