Responding to the Government’s Employment Rights Bill, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive of Learning and Work Institute, said:
“The Bill contains some sensible proposals, including widening access to sick pay and strengthening the presumption towards flexible working. The UK’s diversity of employment arrangements is a real strength, increasing the chances people can find a job that suits them. But where flexibility is a one-way street in favour of the employer, this can create insecurity for workers and hold the economy back. We welcome the creation of a Fair Work Agency, which we hope will support awareness and enforcement of rights. The devil will be in the detail of these changes, and the Government should work closely with employers and trades unions to get the balance right.”
Contact our press office22 Medi 2026
Building an AI-ready workforce: Creating a skills system that prepares UK knowledge workers for the AI transition
AI has transformative potential for the UK economy and could present a net uplift to productivity of up to £80 billion by 2035. Yet the UK workforce does not – yet – have the skills to successfully adopt and scale AI technologies in a truly transformative way.
22 Medi 2026
AI skills investment could add £80 billion to the UK economy
The UK can secure an £80 billion boost to its economy by 2035 if the Government and businesses act together to strengthen the technical skills system, according to a major report published today by L&W and The Rigby Foundation.
15 Medi 2026
Labour market dashboard
Every month, Learning and Work Institute produces detailed and timely analysis of the latest labour market statistics from ONS. Explore our interactive charts.
7 Medi 2026
UK must make training the ‘go-to’ response to skills needs, or risk holding back growth, new report warns
The Government’s plans to get the economy growing risk falling short unless it takes action to reverse sharp falls in the training employees get at work, new analysis warns.
7 Medi 2026
Understanding employer investment in skills
This is the third and final report of our project funded by the Nuffield Foundation looking at employer investment in skills, and how employees are responding to the need to upskill and retrain in a transitioning economy.
29 Mehefin 2026
What enables the effective design, delivery and evaluation of local work and health programmes?
This report presents findings from an evidence review on what enables the effective design, delivery and evaluation of local health and work programmes.
29 Mehefin 2026
Scoping report: Labour Market Evidence Programme
This scoping report as part of the Labour Market Evidence programme provides a summary of the work undertaken by IES and L&W between October 2025 and March 2026 including user consultation. It summarises the evidence needs of local policy makers and sets out how these needs can be addressed.
9 Mehefin 2026
Final report: Evaluation of the JobsPlus Pilot
This evaluation of JobsPlus builds on the interim findings published in September 2025 to provide evidence on whether the model can be adapted to the UK context and effectively implemented to improve employment outcomes.
1 Ebrill 2026
Supporting the progression of low-income workers in Scotland
With funding from the Robertson Trust, Learning and Work Institute has been working in partnership with Edinburgh College to develop a pilot to support low-income workers in Scotland to progress into better jobs.
