@workfoundation.bsky.social
The Work Foundation is a leading think tank for improving work in the UK. Part of Lancaster University Management School.
Today, @benrharrison.bsky.social (Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University) issued a statement on Government's latest announcement on the £820 million youth participation package, including a new Youth Guarantee.
www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Recent Work Foundation research on career progression highlighted the link between job quality and progression. Insecure work is often a trap for workers and not a stepping stone to better work: (5/5) www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
28.11.2025 15:31 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Changing sectors is one of the best routes to career progression and increased earnings. In the early 2000s, 5.6% of all employed people moved to a different sector each year on average. However, last year, moves between sectors were only half this level. (4/5)
28.11.2025 15:31 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0The results are stark. Those who receive training receive £3,400 gross monthly income on average, compared to £2,950 for those that do not. Workers in the lowest socioeconomic categories who receive training are paid roughly 15% more than those who do not. (3/5)
28.11.2025 15:31 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0The researchers use a variety of data sources including Understanding Society and the ONS’s Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings to measure the impact of training on pay, job mobility, and people’s ability to progress in their careers. (2/5)
28.11.2025 15:31 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0
Learning and Work Insitute report No train no gain Can the UK boost job mobility and pay growth over the next decade Sranvathi Vempalli, Lovedeep Vaid, Aaron Revel, Stephen Evans November 2025
Our #ResearchOfTheMonth goes to @learnworkuk.bsky.social for their research exploring the impact of skills training on career progression prospects. (1/5)
learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...
Authors: Sravanthi Vempalli, Lovedeep Vaid, Aaron Revel,
@stephenevans.bsky.social.
"over the months and years to come, while the Fair Work Agency must be vigilant to ensure rogue employers don’t seek to circumvent new regulations as they come into force.”
Full statement available at (7/7): www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
“Having made this change, it's critical that the Employment Rights Bill now reaches Royal Assent as a matter of priority, and without any further dilution. Government, businesses and unions should continue to engage constructively on making its delivery a success... (6/7)
27.11.2025 18:42 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"This is broadly in line with what we may have expected had Government gone ahead with previous plans for a new six-month statutory probationary period in any case. (5/7)
27.11.2025 18:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0“Work Foundation analysis indicates that had this new right been in place in 2023, the number of people in severely insecure work would have fallen by 1.2 million and up to 3.9 million workers would have had more secure jobs. (4/7)
27.11.2025 18:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0“Reducing the time it takes for workers to have protection against unfair dismissal from 24 months to six months remains a significant shift that will boost security at work for millions. (3/7)
27.11.2025 18:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"additional delays would only risk further extending an already lengthy implementation process, and postpone workers feeling the benefit of these new protections. (2/7)
27.11.2025 18:42 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Comment from our Director, @benrharrison.bsky.social, on the Department for Business and Trade announcement on unfair dismissal elements of the Employment Rights Bill:
“Ending the Parliamentary log jam on the Employment Rights Bill is a positive step... (1/7)
Yesterday, we welcomed the announcement of £820m to support young people into work.
But @rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social warned of a risk the "Youth Guarantee will be too blunt an instrument" to support young people employment - featuring in this @BBCNews article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"up to 40,000 inactive people back into work by 2029/2030. And while a new ‘Youth Guarantee’ may help more young people to secure a job, there remains a significant risk that interventions will arrive too late to have an impact this Parliament.” (7/7)
www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
"Unemployment is at a four year high, youth unemployment is rising and health-related economic inactivity remains stubbornly at a near record 2.8 million.
“Yet the OBR suggests that previously announced funding for extra employment support will only support... (6/7)
"the reality is many workers may continue to feel a squeeze to their living standards over the coming period.
“With growth forecasts downgraded, it is also not clear whether Budget measures will address a series of worrying trends in the UK labour market. (5/7)
"But inflation is only forecast to return to the Bank of England’s target of 2% by 2027 – a year later than previously anticipated. Taken together with the decision to freeze tax thresholds for a further three years... (4/7)
26.11.2025 15:05 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"end of this Parliament.
“Commitments to freeze rail fares and to cut family energy bills by an average £150 have the potential to lower the rate of inflation in 2026. (3/7)
“However, OBR forecasts cast doubt on whether the measures in the Budget meet the scale of the challenge. It predicts a delayed reduction in inflation, continued sluggish growth and relatively few economically inactive people moving back into work before the... (2/7)
26.11.2025 15:05 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0Comment from our Director, @benrharrison.bsky.social, on the Chancellor's Autumn Budget ⬇️
“It is welcome the Chancellor has attempted to bear down on cost of living pressures facing millions of UK workers while taking action to boost the economy. (1/7)
Ben Harrison, Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University Autumn Budget 2025 - Work Foundation priorities 1. Fast-track funding for employment support and connect to job creation plans to reduce the risk of long-term unemployment 2. Provide the necessary resources to address health related economic inactivity 3. Resist returning to welfare cuts that would harm jobseekers, workers and undermine long-term growth 4. Resource the employment enforcement system to protect workers’ rights. Logos of Lancaster University and the Work Foundation.
After months of speculation, the Chancellor will step up to deliver the Budget Statement tomorrow.
@benrharrison.bsky.social explores the key steps the Chancellor can take to improve working lives and living standards during the remainder of the Parliament: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
When the Chancellor delivers the Autumn Budget on 26 Nov, she will do so at a time of a slowing labour market & against a backdrop of deep political & economic uncertainty.
@benrharrison.bsky.social explores the challenges and opportunities facing the Chancellor: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
As the Government prepares for the Autumn Budget, Jon Fitzmaurice looks back at our #WorkMatters discussion with @helenbarnard.bsky.social, @duncanweldon.bsky.social & Suren Thiru and asks whether the ‘smorgasbord’ approach will kick start economic renewal?
www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Quote of Rebecca Florisson, Principal Analyst, Work Foundation at Lancaster University “Today’s data shows that the number of young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment, or training remains stubbornly close to one million. "With unemployment across the labour market rising and vacancies having declined over the last 12 months, there is a serious risk more young people will slip into long-term worklessness without further Government intervention." Lancaster University logo Work Foundation logo
The latest release from the ONS showed that 946,000 young people aged 16-24 were not in education, employment or training.
Our Principal Analyst, @rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social, commented on the latest stats. See full statement here: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
"At the Budget next week, the Chancellor must prioritise the living standards of lower earners by taking action to tackle the cost of essentials and ensuring that their wages can rise in real terms during the years ahead.” (5/5)
19.11.2025 07:25 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0“With both employers and workers continuing to face inflation at 3.6%, the Government has a significant challenge in terms of how to best support the three million workers on the National Living Wage. (4/5)
19.11.2025 07:25 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"coming years – and the cost of food is 4.8% higher than a year ago. This continues to put pressure on the least well off with only a third of low paid workers (34%) expecting an above inflation pay increase this year, compared to over two thirds of high paid workers (69%). (3/5)
19.11.2025 07:25 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0"However, it still leaves millions of workers struggling with day-to-day costs as we approach the Autumn Budget.
“While there may be a small respite from surging prices, the IMF suggests that UK workers are due to face the highest level of inflation in the G7 over the... (2/5)
Comment from our Principal Analyst
@rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social on the latest CPI inflation release from the ONS ⬇️
“The rate of CPI inflation has dropped to 3.6%. This could indicate we’re past the worst of the recent inflationary surge and may boost hopes of faster interest rate cuts. (1/5)
