Change in employment, unemployment and economic inactivity rates (Feb-Apr 2024 to Nov-Jan 2026)
As the jobs market has hit the headlines recently, we get a common question. "How can it be true that unemployment and employment are rising at the same time?"
Can this be right?
@aman93.bsky.social has taken a look at the state of the UK labour market: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Last week, the Government tabled the new ‘Right to Try’ work legislation. It is aimed at de-risking pathways to employment for disabled people currently not working.
But just how effective will this latest reform be?
@benrharrison.bsky.social takes a look.
www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
The report underlines the need to reverse declining investment in training and to ensure access to meaningful, high-quality learning that supports progression for workers and their organisations. (5/5)
Read: learningandwork.org.uk/training-and...
@stephenevans.bsky.social @markmagill.bsky.social
While most employers offer training, the UK has a high volume of short duration training compared to other countries. Those with higher qualifications and those in larger firms are far more likely to benefit, reinforcing existing inequalities. (4/5)
Across sectors such as financial services, clean technologies, and information and communications, demand is growing for workers who combine technical expertise with strong interpersonal skills. Yet many employers report difficulties recruiting people with the right skills and experience. (3/5)
The research - supported by @nuffieldfoundation.org - this raises serious questions about how well the UK is preparing its workforce for the future at a time when digitalisation, decarbonisation and structural change are reshaping the labour market. (2/5)
Learning & Work Institute Training and skills needs: Trends and challenges in UK growth sectors. Corin Egglestone, Mark Magill, Bradley Phipps, Stephen Evans, Sravanthi Vempalli & Lovedeep Vaid March 2026
🏆 Our #ResearchOfTheMonth for March 2026 goes to the @learnworkuk.bsky.social exploring training& skills needs across key UK growth sectors.
It highlights a concerning long-term trend that employer investment in training has fallen by 29% per employee in real terms since 2011. (1/5)
2) Remote & hybrid working can be the difference between being able to work or not, especially for disabled people
3) There is a vital need to develop leadership + managerial capabilities
4) Remote & hybrid are here to stay but the polarised debate may continue. (3/3)
Six years on from one of the biggest changes to work in decades, the panel were in broad agreement that remote and hybrid working is here to stay. Key points included:
1) The shift to remote and hybrid working was emergency response that forced a structural change in how people work (2/3)
On Tuesday, we hosted an online event to explore the future of remote and hybrid work in the UK, and how it can be utilised to improve access to secure and flexible employment in the years ahead. (1/3)
Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Watch: www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRu2...
Figure 1 Regular Nominal Wage Growth January 2019-January 2026 Showing wage growth for whole economy is 3.8%, 5.9% for public sector and 3.3% for private sector. Source: ONS dataset A01 Table 15: Average Weekly Earnings (nominal) - Regular Pay (Great Britain, seasonally adjusted
Today’s ONS labour market figures are a cause for concern as unemployment remains elevated at 5.2% while wage growth cooled significantly to a five-year low of 3.8%, writes @aman93.bsky.social (Senior Research and Policy Analyst).
Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
"many of whom are still grappling with the legacy of the cost-of-living crisis earlier in the decade. (6/6)
Read the full statement here: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
“The Government must therefore remain on high alert and ready to provide additional support should conditions deteriorate further. Rising prices will disproportionately affect low-paid and insecure workers... (5/6)
"as inflation remains above target at 3.0%.
“More broadly, renewed global volatility risks derailing Government ambitions to ease living costs in 2026 and could also mean Bank of England policymakers decide against a further cut to interest rates later today. (4/6)
“Average nominal wage growth has slowed to 3.8%, and is at its lowest since November 2020, ending a 48 month run of above 4% wage growth. Private sector wage growth is now at 3.3%, meaning many workers will be seeing little to no real improvement in their living standards...(3/6)
"and rising oil prices are captured in the official statistics.
Average pay growth falls rapidly as global volatility could impact future growth
“Growth in nominal wages has fallen sharply just as inflationary pressures look set to increase once more. (2/6)
Comment from our Director, @benrharrison.bsky.social, on the latest release from the ONS ⬇️
“Today’s figures indicate the UK labour market continues to face a wide range of significant challenges, even before the effects of increased global instability... (1/6)
The UK labour market has become an increasingly challenging place for young people and disabled people.
Jess Redmond and Emelia Williams wrote for @FENews calling for action to tackle the widening youth and disabled unemployment gaps: www.fenews.co.uk/exclusive/we...
WORK MATTERS 2026 11.00 - 12.00 | Tuesday 24 March 2026 | Online Is the rise in remote and hybrid work in the UK now under threat? Six years on from the first Covid-19 lockdown, working from home has become a mainstream practice, with many employers moving beyond initial emergency measures and actively redesign roles to support flexible working. But more employers are calling staff ‘back to the office’, with a sharp fall in remote vacancies in recent months. Join the Work Foundation at Lancaster University and an expert panel to explore the future of remote and hybrid work in the UK, and how it can be utilised to improve access to secure and flexible employment in the years ahead. Speakers > Baroness Needham -Scott (Chair, Lords Homebased Working Committee) > Dr Paula Holland (Senior Lecturer, Lancaster University) > Ben Harrison, Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University. Work Foundation logo
ONLINE EVENT: Join us on 24 March to explore the future of remote and hybrid work in the UK, and how it can be utilised to improve access to secure and flexible employment in the years ahead. Sign-up: eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-the-ris...
workers in ill-health to re-shape the their employment to better accommodate their health conditions.
2. It needs to move beyond an information-sharing exercise among committed employers and instead builds evidence about what works where challenges are greatest. (5/5)
Our findings offer two key lessons that could help turn Keep Britain Working Review’s vision of workplace health into a reality.
1. It must explore how interventions such as greater flexibility, enhance autonomy, and paid sick leave can be effectively utilised to enable (4/5)
Workers with long-term health conditions’ perception that overall, their employers’ actions had supported them to stay in work, by income and professional status of employment. Our results revealed: - Low income 47%, mid-high income 68% - Non-professional (51%), professional (65%) Lancaster University and Work Foundation logos.
Workers with long-term health conditions in lower paid roles were more likely to miss out on support. Mid-high income jobs were 21 percentage points more likely to say their employers’ actions had supported them to stay in work (68% vs 47%). (3/5)
Perceived effectiveness of workplace interventions among workers with long-term health conditions that had received them. Our results revealed that the interventions that were rated as being most helpful by their recipients related to their employment conditions: more control over their work (73%), paid sick leave (71%), and flexibility over location (69%), working hours (68%), and job role (68%). Source: Work Foundation analysis of nationally representative survey 1,138 working age adults with long-term health conditions (May 2025). Lancaster University and Work Foundation logos.
Survey data reveals the interventions that were rated as being most helpful by employees with long-term health conditions were more control over their work (73%), paid sick leave (71%), and flexibility over location (69%), working hours (68%), and job role (68%). (2/5)
Workers with long-term health conditions’ perception that overall, their employers’ actions had supported them to stay in work, by access to workplace health intervention. Our results revealed: - Workers given more control over work (68%), workers not given more control over work (33%) - Workers provided with periods of sick leave (67%), workers provided with periods of sick leave (34%) - Workers given flexibility over work location (72%), workers not given flexibility over work location (35%) - Workers provided with flexibility to change job description and role (72%), workers not provided with flexibility to change job description and role (35%). Lancaster University and Work Foundation logos.
Today, we have released new analysis looking at how the Government can make the Keep Britain Working Vanguard Phase - led by Sir Charlie Mayfield - a success.
Read the article (1/5): www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Applications for our Policy Advisor vacancy close at 11.59pm on Thursday 5 March 2026.
If you're a talented researcher who wants to tackle structural inequalities in the labour market, then do check out the role: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat....
Ben Harrison, Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University “Despite the Chancellor seeking to strike a robust tone regarding the impact of the Government’s economic agenda, ultimately the pace of progress remains slow. “The OBR’s forecasts underline that 2026 is likely to continue to be highly challenging – particularly for workers struggling with the cost of living crisis and for young people struggling to find a secure job. “It’s critical that the Government seeks to go further and faster in driving wider economic growth during a period of international uncertainty." Work Foundation and Lancaster University logos
Comment from our Director, @benrharrison.bsky.social, on the Chancellor's Spring Forecast.
“Despite the Chancellor seeking to strike a robust tone regarding the impact of the Government’s economic agenda, ultimately the pace of progress remains slow."
Read: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Official statistics released on Thursday show the number of young people who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) remains stubbornly high at 957,000.
Jess Redmond explores the picture in this opinion piece: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
WORK MATTERS 2026 14.00 - 15.00 | Thursday 26 February 2026 | Online No NEET solution? Tackling youth unemployment in the UK The number of young people not earning or learning remains stubbornly close to one million. The Government has responded to the immediate challenge by announcing an £820 million youth participation package, including an investigation into the root causes of youth unemployment. Join the Work Foundation and a panel of experts to review the latest figures on young people aged 16 to 24 years not in education, employment or training, and what it means for young people, local communities, the labour market and the Government. > Ben Harrison, Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University > Susannah Hardyman, Chief Executive, Impetus > Shuab Gamote, Researcher and Advisor > Chris Smyth, Public Policy Editor, The Financial Times Work Foundation logo
Join us between 14.00-15.00 today to review the latest ONS figures on young people aged 16 to 24 years not in education, employment or training, and what it means for young people, local communities, the labour market and the Government. (2/2) eventbrite.co.uk/e/work-matte... @impetus.org.uk
Ben Harrison Director, Work Foundation at Lancaster University One in eight young people not earning or learning “Today’s data is a stark reminder of the magnitude of the challenge facing young people & the Government. One in eight young people aged 16-24 are stuck out of education, employment, or training – with the overall number remaining stubbornly close to one million. “Disabled young people are hit particularly hard, and there is a considerable risk that more young people will slip into long-term worklessness unless Government acts to address the causes of this rise. Work Foundation logo | Lancaster University logo
Comment from our Director, @benrharrison.bsky.social, on the latest release from the ONS showing that 957,000 young people were not in education, employment or training figures in Oct-Dec 2025. (1/2)
The full statement is available at: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
We’re hiring! At a time of big changes in the world of work, we are looking for a talented individual who shares our goal to tackle structural inequalities in the UK labour market. Location: Policy Advisor (maternity cover) Salary: £39,906 to £46,049 (+ £3,506 London Weighting, pro-rata) Benefits: USS pension & generous holidays Hybrid - London or Lancaster Contract: 10-month fixed-term contract (maternity cover) Deadline: 23.59, Thursday 5 March 2026
JOB: Are you ambitious to create research and evidence that helps to improve working lives in the UK?
We’re hiring a Policy Advisor on a 10-month fixed-term maternity cover contract. Find out more: www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...
Deadline: 23.59, Thursday 5 March 2026