Research and Reports
Help wanted: Getting Britain back to work
Unemployment has spiked sharply as a result of the coronavirus crisis and associated social distancing restrictions. During March and April, 2.5 million individuals made claims for Universal Credit, with claims running at seven times their usual...Read more »
Next steps for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) supports employers with up to 80% of furloughed employees wages, up to a limit of £2,500 per month. It is due to run until the end of June 2020. This...Read more »
Coronavirus and the labour market: Impacts and challenges
Coronavirus is a public health crisis, but it is also having a profound impact on our economy. In this report, we explore the early evidence of the impact on our labour market. Despite unprecedented measures by...Read more »
The future of the minimum wage – The worker perspective
The minimum wage is one of the most successful policies in recent decades. Its introduction helped nearly eliminate extreme low pay, and more recent increases have boosted hourly pay for those at the bottom of the...Read more »
What Works Unit for Learning and Work
Evidence reviews Our reviews summarise the best available international evidence on what works in employment, learning and skills. We review the impact different interventions have had, look at what works for whom and explore why interventions...Read more »
Rent-flex evaluation ITT
Learning and Work Institute is seeking to commission an independent evaluation of its Rent-flex trials conducted in partnership with Centre for Responsible Credit, Optivo and One Manchester Housing Associations. With funding from JP Morgan Chase Foundation,...Read more »
Skills Commission: England’s Skills Puzzle
The Skills Commission, of which L&W are the inquiry partner, calls on the government to give skills and lifelong learning renewed attention. This new report makes seven recommendations for creating a more coherent and responsive skills system...Read more »
Investing in ‘What Works’ in further education and adult learning
This policy brief sets out the case for a What Works Centre for further education and adult learning. Completed as part of wider work for the Social Mobility Commission. The paper sets out: the evidence for...Read more »
Improving attainment in the FE and adult learning sector
Research completed on behalf of the Social Mobility Commission, looking at what interventions improve the level of attainment for disadvantaged students in the further education and adult learning sectors. The report sets out the main research...Read more »
Local skills deficits and spare capacity
This report commissioned by the LGA estimates that not meeting the skills needs of employers could lead to a potential loss of £120 billion in economic output by the end of the decade. The research for...Read more »
Adult Participation in Learning Survey 2019
Learning has positive benefits for individuals, communities and the wider economy. Increasing and widening access to learning is crucial to future prosperity, fairness and social inclusion in the UK. Despite the strength of this evidence, the...Read more »
Youth Commission: education and employment support for young people
Previous Youth Commission reports have analysed how these challenges vary across England, and how demographic and economic changes will alter the context for and impact of these challenges. Taken together, they mean young people will have...Read more »
Parent champion programmes, a guide for family learning providers
Research shows that family learning produces positive impacts for adults and children from disadvantaged backgrounds by raising aspirations, increasing parental involvement in their child’s learning, improving outcomes and narrowing the attainment gap. It provides a simple...Read more »
Bridging the Gap: next steps for the apprenticeship levy
Apprenticeships are a great way to combine learning with earning, helping people build their careers and enabling employers to meet their skills needs. In 2017, the government introduced the apprenticeship levy in an effort to boost employer...Read more »
Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise: Implications for workforce development
A number of key thinkers from across UK further and adult education were commissioned to write short thinkpieces on the implications for leadership and workforce development of Healthy, Wealthy and Wise: the impact of adult learning...Read more »
Adult Participation in Learning Survey 2018
Learning has positive benefits for individuals, communities and the wider economy. Increasing and widening access to learning is crucial to future prosperity, fairness and social inclusion in the UK. Despite the strength of this evidence, the...Read more »
Solent Jobs Programme Evaluation
This report presents the findings from the mixed method evaluation of the Solent Jobs Programme (SJP), which was part of the Southampton and Portsmouth City Deal agreement with national government. SJP was funded by the European...Read more »
Youth commission: national and international case studies
This report provides case study evidence of national and international approaches to youth education and employment, comparing them to the current situation in England, and drawing out key lessons.
Cost and outreach pilot evaluation: interim findings
The cost and outreach pilots are testing different approaches to outreach in engaging adults in learning, and whether offering a course fee subsidy encourages take up. The pilots are running in 5 areas: Greater Lincolnshire LEP Heart...Read more »
Working Capital Evaluation
Learning and Work Institute were commissioned by Central London Forward to conduct a mixed-method evaluation of Working Capital: a pilot programme of integrated employment and health support for people with disabilities and/or health conditions who have...Read more »
The Step Up Pilot: Year Three
Trust for London, the Walcot Foundation and Learning and Work Institute (L&W) collaborated to design a pilot initiative, Step Up, trialling new approaches to help low-paid workers progress in their careers and move into better work....Read more »
Learning at life transitions
The WEA commissioned Learning and Work Institute to undertake the research, which was funded and published by the Further Education Trust for Leadership The new Learning at Life Transitions research report provides insights into what influences adults in their decision-making...Read more »
Resources to support the development of local ESOL partnerships
Local co-ordination of ESOL can support effective delivery of English language programmes and help remove barriers to language learning. The government’s Integrated Communities Action Plan announced new guidance on effective practice in co-ordinating ESOL provision, to...Read more »
Top tips for foster carers
Foster carers have the opportunity to make a really positive impact on the young people they look after, including the choices they make as they navigate their way through education and towards employment. Research suggests that...Read more »
Best practice in designing and delivering pre-apprenticeship programmes
Learning and Work Institute is delighted to be working in collaboration with J.P.Morgan to identify ways in which organisations can design and deliver pre-apprenticeship programmes, that provide a pathway to apprenticeships for young people, across Europe....Read more »
Time For Action: learning and skills for economic growth and social justice
The UK’s skills base has long lagged that of comparator countries and over the last decade the rate of improvement in the UK’s skills base has stalled. This is the result of cuts in public funding...Read more »
Social Metrics: Measuring the outcomes of non-accredited learning
This report sets out the results of work undertaken by L&W in 2017/18 to develop and test the use of social metrics in Adult Community Learning provision to capture a range of wider outcomes of learning. ...Read more »
Resources to support care leavers into apprenticeships
Care leavers face barriers in accessing suitable education and employment opportunities. These challenges can be financial, but also be lack of support and guidance in how to navigate through the transition from education to employment. The...Read more »
LEP Support Programme: Apprenticeship Growth
ESFA are currently funding Learning and Work Institute to deliver a programme of support for LEPs to support apprenticeship growth. The programme, which is focussed around National Apprenticeships Week, includes: Support to plan and deliver your...Read more »
Developing a Jobs-Plus model for the UK
Over the last two years, we have worked with nineteen social landlords across Britain – brought together by Give us a Chance – to develop these proposals. They build on the highly successful Jobs-Plus model implemented...Read more »