Covid-19 The Kickstart scheme: reflections three years on 25 July 2023 by Louise Murphy Three years on from the advent of the Kickstart scheme – the Government’s employment programme which created jobs for young people aged 16-24 during the Covid-19 pandemic – the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a process evaluation report looking at the effectiveness of the scheme. Of course, the labour market looks very … Continued READ MORE
Punchy pay data set to cause more mortgage misery 13 June 2023 by Louise Murphy This morning, the ONS published new labour market statistics, and all eyes are on the pay data. Strong nominal pay growth, combined with lower levels of inflation, means that the real wage squeeze that workers have been facing for the past 18 months may well have ended. But, in stark contrast to the state of … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Childcare· Welfare Mums hold the key to getting Britain working again Boosting workforce participation in the 2020s 25 February 2023 by Louise Murphy Britain has built up a lot of economic problems over the past 15 years – weak investment and productivity growth, contributing to an unprecedented pay squeeze and stagnating living standards. But there has been one metric at which we have excelled – getting more people into work. Sadly this success story has been undone somewhat since the … Continued READ MORE
Labour market Concerning rise in NEETs driven by uptick in youth unemployment New ONS figures show a sharp rise in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training 23 February 2023 by Louise Murphy This morning, the ONS published new figures outlining the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Overall, 788,000 16-24-year-olds (11.5 per cent) found themselves NEET in the last three months of 2022. And there has been a sharp rise in the number of young people who are NEET in … Continued READ MORE
Labour market Understanding the labour market context behind the current strikes 13 December 2022 by Louise Murphy The backdrop to this morning’s labour market statistics is recent strikes: around 40,000 rail workers are striking today and later in the week, and nurses and Royal Mail staff (among others) are set to strike later this month. Today’s data helps us understand the labour market context behind these strikes – workers are feeling the … Continued READ MORE
Labour market· Skills Good headline news on NEETs hides a worrying rise in economically inactive young men 24 February 2022 by Louise Murphy and Kathleen Henehan This morning the ONS published the latest figures outlining the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Overall 692,000 16-24-year-olds (10.2 per cent), including 642,000 18-24-year-olds (12 per cent), found themselves NEET at the end of last year. On the surface, this is worth celebrating: the number and proportion … Continued READ MORE
