For Day 10 of #12DaysofLW, we're reflecting on our work with Pearson this year on the use of occupational standards in the UK. 🔍 ✍️ Read our new article by L&W's @stephenevans.bsky.social and Pearson's Donna Ford-Clarke on the findings: learningandwork.org.uk/news-and-pol...

We're #hiring! 👋 Interested in gaining insight into and contributing to L&W’s high-impact research, policy, and campaigning activity? Apply for our Research Intern position by Sunday 4 January. ⬇️✍️

The 11th and penultimate day of #12DaysofLW is on our work on the Youth Guarantee. Following our long-standing call for a Youth Guarantee, this year we have produced a series of reports exploring how it can be successful implemented. ✅ Read the reports: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

"Every time I pull a lever" says the Prime Minister. This dead metaphor is killing his ability to get things done. There aren't any levers. There's only leadership. howtorunacountry.substack.com/p/there-aren...

Here's one of my favourite charts from our briefing. You can see the labour market cooling through both falling vacancies (one measure of demand) & rising numbers out of work but wanting a job (recently driven by rising unemployment). Not going off a cliff, but worrying trends.

"Young people, with over one million not in work or full-time education, are among those most affected, and retail and hospitality have shed 129k payroll jobs in a year." Check out L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social's comment on today's labour market stats in @fenews.bsky.social. ⬇️

Read L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social's comment on today's labour market stats in @theguardian.com business live. ⬇️🗞️

Sign up to receive our full briefing later today: learningandwork.org.uk/supporter-ne... 🔗

"We need a twin approach of providing more help to find work and creating the conditions for employers to create jobs." ✍️ L&W Chief Executive @stephenevans.bsky.social responds to the labour market statistics released by ONS today.

Some worry signs in the labour market. Payroll jobs & employment heading down, with relatively large falls for retail & hospitality. Unemployment at its highest since the pandemic, partly reflecting more people looking for work (inactivity down) but suggesting they're struggling to find jobs.

Day 5️⃣ of #12DaysofLW reflects on our reports for the Commission for #HealthierWorkingLives. 📑 L&W, @employmentstudies.bsky.social and @rsph.bsky.social have worked in partnership to inform the commission led by @healthfoundation.bsky.social. Read the reports: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

Good piece that's worth reading. Though worth noting they argue only 13% of the rise in disability benefit claims is due to cuts to other benefits. Substantial, but does leave 87%!

📑 Explore our report 'The Youth Guarantee and the benefits system' to find out more about the young people who risk missing out on support: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

“It's urgent we ensure the other three in four NEETs don’t miss out on help.” In @peoplemanagement.bsky.social, @stephenevans.bsky.social calls the Government's Youth Guarantee a 'positive step' but highlights support being targeted at the one in four NEETs already receiving help from job centres.

“At a time when economic inactivity is a pressing concern, any decision to reduce funding to help groups with more complex barriers into employment seems at odds with the govt’s aim to reach an 80% employment rate.” 🗨️⬇️ @samavanzowindett.bsky.social comments on UKSPF ending in @feweek.bsky.social.

For Day 4️⃣ of #12DaysofLW, we're looking back on #AmbitionSkills. 🚀 This programme of work, supported by City & Guilds and NOCN, makes the case for a higher skills ambition. The final report finds achieving world-class skills could boost the economy by £22bn: learningandwork.org.uk/resources/re...

Good news - DWP has finally published UC Health data, splitting out those who have migrated over from legacy benefits (ESA). What does the data tell us? ESA migration accounts for most of the rise in UC Health claims over the past year - but new claims explain more of the rise since the pandemic.

Day 2️⃣ of #12DaysofLW is spotlighting JobsPlus! This year JobsPlus has helped people into employment across England. L&W leads the pilot, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and by Youth Futures Foundation. Find out more: learningandwork.org.uk/news-and-pol...

It's Day 3️⃣ of #12DaysofLW... ⭐ ...And we're shining a light on Adult Learners Week in Wales and our Inspire! Awards. These showcased the transformative impact of lifelong learning in Wales. Explore the campaign and read our award winner stories: adultlearnersweek.wales @learnworkcymru.bsky.social

Productivity growth usually bounces back after an economic shock. The UK post-financial crisis? Not so much. Some reflections on the OBR's report (the one that wasn't leaked), and why we've stopped getting richer.

Always enjoy the #12DaysofLW. Handy reminder of amount & breadth of work the team has done.

#12DaysofLW returns! For 12 days, we'll be spotlighting some 2025 L&W highlights. ✨ For Day 1️⃣ we're celebrating launching our #GetTheNationLearning campaign – showing how when adults learn, our society and economy thrive – with over 140 supporters. Join the movement: getthenationlearning.org.uk

L&W's Director of Policy and Research @emilyishness.bsky.social responds to the Government's expansion of opportunities for young people through the Youth Guarantee. 🗨️⬇️

Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome our patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, to an event on adults' access to essential skills learning. Her Royal Highness met learners from City Lit and Morley College London, who shared their education journeys.

"Business dynamism measured by the job reallocation rate was lower in 2024 than 2001 in every industry." This, IMHO, is the biggest potential blindspot in this government's growth strategy, not anything to do with taxes, borrowing or fiscal policy www.ons.gov.uk/economy/econ...

1. Govt's announced more on the Youth Guarantee. Short view: lots of good stuff in there, but much is focused on the 1 in 4 NEETs who are unemployed & we need more on how employers will create jobs & hire YP (who will create 50K apprenticeships Govt says it's funding?) www.gov.uk/government/n...

On my way to London for an event to try & boost focus on adult literacy, numeracy & digital with our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal. Reminder: 9m adults have low literacy or numeracy, but numbers learning each year down 63% in a decade. We want this to be the national priority it should be.

OK, I have a new favourite story. 'It's the golden age of spreadsheet geekery'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

"Our campaign is all about putting urgency into everyone's minds about how we can create a really vibrant society full of adult learning." Why is #GetTheNationLearning important? L&W President Maggie Galliers CBE explains. ⬇️ Join the movement: getthenationlearning.org.uk/get-the-nati...

NEW. Another 5% drop in adults doing English & maths. Numbers ⬇️60% since 2011. Matters as 9m adults have low literacy or numeracy, limiting work & life chances. Current trends = 20+ years to fix. DfE attribute latest fall to removing English & maths reqs from apprenticeships, a backward step IMV

This is such a good article by Alan Johnson in the FT on our No train, no gain report with Multiverse. Tempting to quote it all but will stick with the para below - cutting skills being 'barmy at the best of times' now my new mantra. Log in to read the rest!

New data shows adult English & maths learning seems to have bottomed out, but at half the level it was at a decade ago. On current trends it will take 20 years+ for everyone to get the help they need. This doesn't get attention it needs - 9m adults in England have low literacy or numeracy.

"Extra funding for apprenticeships is welcome, though largely reflects an expected rise in the amount the levy raises meaning the Treasury will still be keeping a substantial sum." Read L&W chief exec @stephenevans.bsky.social's comment on the impact of last week's budget on apprenticeships. ⬇️

This is such a good article by Alan Johnson in the FT on our No train, no gain report with Multiverse. Tempting to quote it all but will stick with the para below - cutting skills being 'barmy at the best of times' now my new mantra. Log in to read the rest!

Great write-up of our "No train, no gain" report. Training pushes up those at the bottom of the socio-economic ladder further and faster than anyone else. But investment - from Gvt and employers - are way down. "Barmy at the best of times" indeed. www.ft.com/content/460b...

"With four out of five of the workers of 2035 already in the workplace today, we cannot rely on schools, colleges and universities to provide the Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons of the Brave New World we are entering in this latest technological shift." www.ft.com/content/460b...

HMT's using the old Gordon Brown era trick of adding up annual increases to give large cumulative number. Extra £ for apprenticeships is good, but looks like HMT will still be keeping c£700m of the levy. With flex, future inflation & £ for SMEs to pay for, budget crunch ahead?

Don't Panic: Britain is not broken. The UK can do better, but we shouldn't be too gloomy about things. If you look at the stats, there's a lot to be happy with (including how happy we are): adamcorlett.com/2025/11/30/d...

NEW. Another 5% drop in adults doing English & maths. Numbers ⬇️60% since 2011. Matters as 9m adults have low literacy or numeracy, limiting work & life chances. Current trends = 20+ years to fix. DfE attribute latest fall to removing English & maths reqs from apprenticeships, a backward step IMV

Glad Govt have made this change. 2 yrs to 6 months is still a HUGE improvement (6m workers will benefit). But this strikes a better balance btw protecting workers and encouraging hiring. It's how most rich countries operate Argued in favour of this here www.resolutionfoundation.org/publications...

1. Budget reflections: extra £725m for growth & skills levy is cumulative so c£150m per year. And the levy is due to raise £200m more per year than expected due to higher wage growth. So this is really Govt saying it'll spend the extra it raises. It'll still be taking £800m from the levy.

I’m very pleased to be a reader for these awards. Great to see recognition of innovative practice in further education.

Ultimately the minimum wage is a brilliant tool, but it can’t compensate for “we haven’t built any housing”, “we have cut cash transfers to the bone” and “all the third spaces have been cut to pay for social care”.

These reports the Government could revalue council tax bands F, G and H don't make sense to me. Here's what could actually be going on:

Today is Carers Rights Day. Across the country people are caring for each other and dealing with tough times. This isn't just Ed’s story. It's the story of millions, and that's who the Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for.

@stephenevans.bsky.social, Chief Executive of L&W, responds to today’s NEET data release from the Office for National Statistics. learningandwork.org.uk/news-and-pol...

Another set of worrying NEET stats, 946k 16-24s not in education, employment or training. Hoping the Chancellor will speed up action on Youth Guarantee for England in her Budget. But also need a growing economy & businesses taking YP on. Policy impact on hiring a bit more ahem mixed at the moment...

Link to the @suttontrust.bsky.social report here www.suttontrust.com/our-research...

Off to the AoC conference to speak at a ‘hot topic’ session on adult education. Including how we make it more of a hot topic for policymakers, employers and others. Hopefully see some of you there at 10.50.

NEW - we've data showing huge numbers of people reducing their income to avoid high marginal income tax rates. Not just at the £100k point (as previously reported). But at the £50k point: