Now It's Personal? The new landscape of welfare-to-work
Article
The Coalition government's new Work Programme concentrates overall power in Whitehall and hands responsibility for supporting jobseekers to a small number of welfare-to-work providers. This further risks innovation at a local level being squeezed out of the system.The report explores risks and opportunities presented by the new Work Programme and set out proposals for a more fluid and innovative sub-contracting market to improve support for those furthest from the labour market.
Our report argues that effective back-to-work support requires fine-grained local knowledge and intelligence. We argue that a more enterprising welfare-to-work system could help create new job opportunities for unemployed workers and build stronger links between economic development and workforce development.
Related items
A system that empowers: The future of professional development
Our education system faces a significant and urgent challenge: ensuring equitable access to an excellent education in the context of acute budget pressures.Programme for Government 2025/26: An IPPR Scotland briefing
On 6 March, first minister John Swinney will announce his Programme for Government for 2025/26. He will highlight his four ‘core priorities’ of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling climate change, and ensuring high…The health mandate: The voters' verdict on government intervention
The nation’s health is now a top-tier political issue.