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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5h

3. Some attendees were concerned that business confidence is currently low, and vacancies are declining, and higher costs could disincentivise employers to recruit young people in the future. (3/3)

Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5h

Key discussion points included:
1. Participants recognised the range of challenges facing young people starting their working lives
2. There was a consensus that there is strong evidence about what works to support a young person into sustained employment. (2/3)

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5h

On Monday, we hosted a roundtable on overcoming youth health & employment challenges at the #ConservativePartyConference.

It was hosted by Rt Hon Alistair Burt (Lancaster University) & focussed on how to create pathways into work for young people. (1/3)

Participants at a roundtable on youth employment and health challenges at the Conservative Party Conference hosted by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

This research complements our analysis that shows the health risks of insecure work, with insecure workers 1.4 times more likely than those with secure jobs to become unemployed or economically inactive due to ill-health during the study period (5/5): www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

The authors argue that pushing the long-term sick into ‘any’ job risks backfiring, as poor job design and lack of adaptations in frontline sectors are both a driver of and a barrier to tackling economic inactivity. (4/5)

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

Findings
> 2.5% of formerly long-term sick inactive workers move into work each year
> 56.6% of those inactive long-term sick workers who enter low-paid, physically tough jobs
> Half of inactive long-term sick workers who enter work, the work lasts for less than 4 months (3/5)

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

The research highlighted broader workforce trends such as reduced autonomy (lower levels of control in how workers do their job), inequality of access to hybrid working, and low-quality work (insecure, long hours, stressful) in ‘frontline’ jobs. (2/5)

The jobs most available are physical roles - often with long hours, inflexible shifts and travel requirements.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

🏆 Our #ResearchOfTheMonth goes to @timewise.bsky.social for their research paper 'Healthy By Design?' which shows that just 60,000 of the 2.4 million people economically inactive due to long-term ill health find a job each year. (1/5)

Read here: timewise.co.uk/article/why-...

Front cover of Timewise report, Health by design? Why better jobs for all should be a goal for UK Industrial Policy.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

Comment from our Head of Research, @alicepmartin.bsky.social, on figures from the Office for National Statistics on the impact of motherhood on monthly employee earnings and employment status.

The full statement is available at: lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

And finally, we ended with a roundtable on ensuring that no young person is left behind as policy-makers aim to overcome youth health and employment challenges. A key theme was changing the culture of work for young people and ensuring they have access to secure work. (6/6)

Participants speaking at roundtable on young people's health and employment challenges at Labour Party Conference 2025.

Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

On Thursday, we started with a roundtable on how the Government can raise living standards in coastal communities with Edge Hill University. Participants discussed building on the huge potential of coastal places and reframing the negative image of seaside areas. (5/6)

Participants at Work Foundation at Lancaster University roundtable speaking about coastal communities and living standards.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

We then discussed how to accelerate AI adoption in SMEs with Prof James Faulconbridge & Prof Martin Spring from
Lancaster University Management School and Minister for Small Business, @blairmcdougall.com. A key takeaway was investing in new tech requires businesses to ask the right questions. (4/6)

Participants speaking at the Work Foundation at Lancaster University roundtable on AI and SMEs

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

Then we hosted a roundtable on closing the disability employment gap with Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Disability. We discussed how connecting disabled people to good quality employment is key - including access to job features such as remote/hybrid work. (3/6)

Image of participants discussing Right to Try at the Labour Party Conference.

Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Disability, discussing at roundtable

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

On Monday, we hosted a roundtable on maximising the impact of the Employment Rights Bill with the Minister for Employment Rights, @katedeardenmp.bsky.social. We discussed the importance of delivering the core purpose and reforms in the Bill and working with employers to mitigate key concerns. (2/6)

Image of participants at roundtable on maximising the opportunities for the Employment Rights Bill

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 5d

We have been at #LabourPartyConference #Lab25 hosting roundtables with Lancaster Uni and chaired by @benrharrison.bsky.social discussing the Employment Rights Bill, disability employment gap, AI and SMEs, living standards in coastal communities and youth employment.

Here are some highlights: (1/6)

Photo of a Work Foundation and Lancaster University banner

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 6d

READ: The Government has made headlines for guaranteeing paid work for young people who have been unemployed for 18 months.

But job guarantees are not new and @alicepmartin.bsky.social argues how it is designed and delivered will make all the difference.

www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

How to do a jobs guarantee well - Lancaster University

At first glance, the Government's announcement on a new Youth Guarantee looks like a positive move – but how it is designed and delivered will make all the difference. Alice Martin explores what…

www.lancaster.ac.uk

Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

These findings highlight that the Employment Rights Bill has the potential to significantly improve access to secure work in the UK. To fully realise its benefits, we recommend that the Government must: (7/7)

Recommendations

1. Ensure the potential of the Employment Rights Bill is maximised and safeguard the core purpose of the reforms in primary and secondary legislation

2. Allow for a smooth transition for employers and workers as the Employment Rights is implemented

3. Guarantee the Employment Rights Bill is appropriately enforced and its impact is monitored.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

Sectors where severely insecure work is prevalent are likely to see large falls in insecure work too. We estimate that in 2023, the severe insecure work rate in retail would have fallen from 45.3% to 38.9% while in social care it would have dropped from 32.5% to 20.5%. (6/7)

Change in levels of insecure work if ERB rules had been in place in 2023, by sector

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

These reforms could particularly benefit disadvantaged worker groups. Had the two reforms been in place in 2023, severely insecure work would have been reduced by 8.3 percentage points for workers aged 16-24. And 4.6 & 4.5 pp for Black & Asian workers respectively. (5/7)

Estimated reduction in severely insecure work in 2023 had key changes from the Employment Rights Bill been in place at the time

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

The analysis estimates that the proportion of the UK workforce in secure jobs would have risen by 12.6 percentage points, from 44.1% to 56.7% which is equivalent to approximately 3.85 million more workers in secure employment. (4/7)

Estimated reduction in insecurity in 2023 had major changes from the Employment Rights Bill been place at the time

Current rules: Secure - 44.1% / New ERB rules 56.7%
Current rules: Low/moderate insecurity - 34.6% / New ERB Rules 25.6%
Current rules: Severe insecurity - 21.4% / New ERB rules 17.7%

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

The impact of day one dismissal rights depends on the length of statutory probation period adopted. If a six-month probation period was implemented, estimates suggest the number of people in severely insecure work would fall by 1.2 million - from 6.8 million (21.4%) to 5.6 million (17.7%). (3/7)

Change in levels of job security in 2023 under new proposed day one rights with different probationary periods.

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

The research investigates what would have happened to levels of job security if the key reforms – the introduction of day one unfair dismissal rights and the end to exploitative zero-hour contracts – were in place in 2023. (2/7)

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 8d

Today, we release a new study analysing the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill which indicates that millions of workers could benefit from better job security, but only if the Government stands firm and delivers on its promise of key reforms. (1/7)

www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundat...

Front cover of Work Foundation report:

Increasing job security: The potential impact of employment rights reforms in the UK

Rebecca Florisson
September 2025

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Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 22d

“As the potential for tax rises looms at the upcoming Autumn Budget, Government must ensure it does not increase the pressure on lower income workers who have borne the brunt of this squeeze in recent years.” (7/7)

Work Foundation @workfoundation.bsky.social · 22d

"Only half of workers (48%) believe wage increases are keeping up with the cost of living and just 43% expect an above inflation pay rise in the next 12 months. (6/7)

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