New ERSA report urges government to learn lessons from the past as employment support is devolved
A new report from ERSA, published today, warns that the government’s plans to devolve employment support will only succeed if they build on the expertise, infrastructure and lessons developed through more than 25 years of nationally commissioned programmes.
The report, Delivering Locally at National Scale, calls for a balanced approach that combines local flexibility with national standards and safeguards sector expertise.
It argues that devolution presents an opportunity to bring employment support closer to local communities and labour markets – but cautions against creating a fragmented system that could lead to inconsistencies in service quality, outcomes and access across different parts of the country.
Drawing on evidence from 24 organisations across the employability sector, the report examines how nationally commissioned programmes have successfully combined local delivery with national scale, supporting millions of people into and towards work while generating significant value for participants, taxpayers and wider society.
The report argues that policymakers should avoid viewing devolution as a choice between national and local delivery. Instead, it sets out a vision for a balanced model that combines the benefits of local integration and flexibility with national standards, accountability and economies of scale.
According to the report, large-scale employment support programmes have enabled providers to invest in technology, workforce development, specialist expertise, employer engagement and supply chains that would be difficult and costly to replicate in every local area. At the same time, the research highlights variation in local commissioning capability and points to delays in the rollout of Connect to Work in some areas as evidence of the challenges involved in devolving responsibility at pace.
To support successful devolution, ERSA has set out six key recommendations:
Elizabeth Taylor, CEO of ERSA, said:
“Employment support services have always been delivered in local communities, but they have been strengthened by the investment, accountability and learning that come from operating at scale.
“As government devolves employment support, there is a real opportunity to create more integrated and responsive services. However, success will depend on building on what already works and drawing on the sector’s deep expertise rather than starting again.
“The lessons of the past few decades are clear about how to deliver high-quality employment support that helps people into good work. We need common national standards, strong commissioning capability, coherent employer engagement, a sustainable and diverse provider market, and a strong focus on employment outcomes.
“Getting devolution right could help more people move into good work, support employers to fill vacancies and contribute to growth in communities across the country.”
The report concludes that the employability sector’s workforce, expertise, relationships and infrastructure should be treated as national assets as commissioning responsibilities transfer to Mayoral Strategic Areas, and calls for close collaboration between government, combined authorities and providers to ensure devolution delivers better outcomes for people and employers alike.