Ben Harrison

NEET rates for 16-24 year-olds by regions of England and countries of the UK

🏆 Our #Researchoftheweek goes to @learnworkuk.bsky.social for their young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) report.

Nearly a million young people are NEET with 48% experiencing the impacts of being out of work or education for over a year: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

And it's vital that Government sticks to its guns and delivers on the promise of a day one right to flexible working through the Employment Rights Bill, and sets out a roadmap that goes beyond current Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Reforms, including raising the level of SSP on offer in the UK.

The Review must explore how Government can work more closely with employers, and how employers can be incentivised to provide more health related support. That could include an extended employer duty of care and supporting additional vocational rehabilitation.

We can also learn from the experience of other countries - employers in the Netherlands are mandated to provide sick pay of at least 70% of worker’s wages for up to two years of an absence and provide rehabilitation programmes – keeping workers linked to employment for longer should they fall ill.

Sick workers four times more likely to leave work if they have no job flexibility - Lancaster University New Work Foundation research examining the reasons behind workers dropping out of the UK jobs market after sickness, reveals the true scale of interventions needed to stem the flow of people leaving w...

In addition, access to flexible working can make a big difference too. We found that workers without flexibility in their job roles were four times more likely to leave work after a health decline. www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

@workfoundation.bsky.social analysis has shown that early intervention will be key. In our recent study, nearly one in ten employees (9%) who had experienced a decline in health had left work within four years – and half of those were within the first year.

The Keep Britain Working Review provides a critical opportunity to shape more ambitious and long-term reforms to stem the flow of people leaving work due to ill health. Sir Charlie rightly identifies that this will mean Government and employers working together to drive change.

Keep Britain Working Review: Discovery

The Discovery Report from Sir Charlie Mayfield's Keep Britain Working Review has been published today, with the full report due in Autumn. Here's some quick thoughts... 🧵 www.gov.uk/government/p...

Beyond the Office? How remote and hybrid working can help close the disability employment gap - Lancaster University New interim report from Lancaster University, the Work Foundation, Manchester Metropolitan University and Universal Inclusion - funded by the Nuffield Foundation - reveals that five years on from the ...

You can read the full analysis which is based on the largest mixed methods study of disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid work in the UK below. www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

If Government is to support more of those with disabilities who want to work to access employment, it must increase the level and visibility of remote and hybrid working opportunities, including exploring a legal duty to publish flexible working options in job advertisements.

But there is a big gap between demand for these kinds of jobs, and the supply of them - less than 4% of vacancies on the DWP Find a Job portal includes remote and hybrid options.

Government will soon outline how it intends to support those out of work due to ill health into employment.

New research from @irhws.bsky.social suggests access to remote & hybrid work will be key, with 85% of disabled workers reporting it is essential or very important when looking for a new job.

Front cover of Beyond the Office : How remote and hybrid working can help close the disability employment gap. Interim report of the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study | March 2025 Authors: Rebecca Florisson, George Williams, Alice Martin, Calum Carson, Paula Holland, Alison Collins and Jacqueline Winstanley Partners: Lancaster University, Work Foundation, Manchester Metropolitan University, Universal Inclusion

📝 As part of @irhws.bsky.social with @lancasteruni.bsky.social, @manmetuni.bsky.social & Universal Inclusion – we are releasing research supported by @nuffieldfoundation.org exploring how remote & hybrid work can support disabled people to stay in work. (1/10)
www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Comment from our Director @benrharrison.bsky.social on the latest data on young people not in education, employment or training from @ONS⬇️

https://buff.ly/41zOqlp

“Today’s data shows that young people not in education, employment or training is at the highest level for 10 years...(1/6)

Both regulare and total annual growth rates remain relatively strong

Comment from our Principal Analyst @rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social on the labour market statistics release from the ONS ⬇️

“Today’s figures point to a slowing labour market, with worrying signs for young people entering the labour market for the first time. (1/8)

www.ons.gov.uk/employmentan...

Photograph of Darren Jones MP with representatives from Centre for Progressive Change, Unison, Citizens Advice, Resolution Foundation and WPI Economics.

Our Director @benrharrison.bsky.social was delighted to join a meeting organised by @progressivechange.bsky.social yesterday with @darrenpjones.bsky.social MP (Chief Secretary to HM Treasury) to discuss the benefits of raising the level of Statutory Sick Pay from £116.75 per week.

UK has one of widest ill health employment gaps in Europe The UK stands among the worst performers in workplace health for people with long-term ill health or disability, according to new research.

Report finds
* 21% UK workers have health limitations – one of the highest rates among working-aged adults in EU15.
*The UK also has one of the widest employment gaps between people with & without health limitations tinyurl.com/yc6cj2w7
@drdon.bsky.social @martievt.bsky.social @somceo.bsky.social

Always a must read from @centreforcities.bsky.social - the latest #CitiesOutlook2025 is now out with a special focus on wages and growth. Important in the context of today's labour market data and the Government's ambitions to raise living standards.

BREAKING 🚨: Miscarriages could result in parental bereavement leave following a GMB campaign

Proposed amendments to the Government's Employment Rights bill sets out paid leave entitlements 🙌

Stemming the tide: Healthier jobs to tackle economic inactivity - Lancaster University New Work Foundation research aims to provide new evidence, insights and policy direction for how Government and employers can work together to retain more people who experience health issues in employ...

And you can find the full report here. It makes the case for a renewed focus on creating healthier jobs and an emphasis on prevention & early intervention: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

@asliatay.bsky.social @rebeccaflorisson.bsky.social @alicepmartin.bsky.social @gdwilliams9.bsky.social

If you want to find out more about the @workfoundation.bsky.social latest research into worker retention and economic inactivity then you can tune in to our first webinar of the year this Thursday from 2pm! www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...