Labour market enforcement· Work New enforcement body marks welcome milestone for employment rights but Government must give it more powers to protect all workers 7 April 2026 New enforcement body marks welcome milestone for employment rights but Government must give it more powers to protect all workers The establishment of the Fair Work Agency is an important step towards better enforcement of employment rights, but to be a success it needs adequate powers and funding, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday). The … Continued READ MORE
Work· Economy 2030 Britain needs a wider ‘good work agenda’ to raise minimum standards at work not just the minimum wage 19 April 2023 Minimum wage rises mean Britain now has one of the highest wage floors in the world but remains an international laggard on wider minimum standards, with minimum wage workers receiving only a tenth of their normal earnings if they fall sick for a week. Raising minimum standards alongside the minimum wage should be the focus … Continued READ MORE
Work Highest number of days lost to strikes in ten years – but set to continue rising as public sector real wages fall 13 December 2022 Recent industrial action has led to the highest number of days lost to strikes in October 2022 since November 2011, and this is set to rise in the coming months as labour disputes over falling real wages continue, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the ONS labour market statistics. The largest strike action … Continued READ MORE
Work Short courses in social care and ‘green jobs’ likely to help workers move out of coronavirus-hit sectors, though UK ill-prepared to deliver large-scale retraining programmes 18 August 2020 The UK’s inexperience in supporting workers through career changes does not leave policy makers with a clear roadmap for tackling unemployment, although short, specific training as part of job creation schemes could help those in hardest-hit sectors, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in new analysis on the state of training and adult education in … Continued READ MORE
Incomes· Work Record UK employment driven by households trying to combat unprecedented income squeeze 12 November 2019 Britain’s record employment is the result of its post-crisis income squeeze, and means we’re working an extra 65 million hours a week, according to a new report published today (Tuesday) by the Resolution Foundation. The report, Feel poor, work more, argues that Britain’s record employment level is one of the biggest economic stories of the … Continued READ MORE
Work· Public finances· Political parties and elections Resolution Foundation welcomes Chancellor’s hugely ambitious plan to eliminate low pay RF says a measured approach is needed to reach this milestone over five years 30 September 2019 The Chancellor’s plan to eliminate low pay over the next five years – by raising the National Living Wage (NLW) to reach two-thirds of typical hourly pay – is hugely ambitious and will need to be implemented carefully, the Resolution Foundation said today (Monday) in response to the Chancellor’s speech to the Conservative Party conference. … Continued READ MORE
Work London Living Wage should rise further to reflect higher cost of living in the capital 27 July 2016 The London Living Wage should increase to reflect the increased cost of living in the capital, including the growth of households renting privately, the Resolution Foundation says today (Wednesday) in its review of the Living Wage. The Resolution Foundation report to the Living Wage Commission highlights the success of the campaign for firms to … Continued READ MORE
Work Post-referendum rise in business uncertainty casts shadow over strong jobs boost in run up to vote 20 July 2016 The UK enjoyed a welcome pre-referendum vote jobs boost, though reports of rising business uncertainty post-vote will be a major challenge over the next year, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the latest labour market statistics and the Bank of England Agents’ summary of business conditions. The UK employment rate reached … Continued READ MORE
Work· Generations Millennials facing ‘generational pay penalty’ as their earnings fall £8,000 behind during their 20s 18 July 2016 Fresh evidence of the growing intergenerational inequality that new Prime Minister has warned of Britain’s longstanding promise of ‘generational pay progress’ could turn into a ‘pay penalty’ for millennials, who are at risk of being the first generation to earn less than their predecessors over the course of their working lives, the Resolution Foundation says … Continued READ MORE
Work Jobs protected as prices and profits take the early squeeze from National Living Wage 11 July 2016 Post-Brexit uncertainty could reduce real-terms value of NLW by up to 40p an hour in 2020 Employers have responded to the National Living Wage (NLW) by raising prices or reducing profits rather than cutting jobs, but more will have to look at productivity-enhancing measures in the coming years, according to a new report published today … Continued READ MORE
Work Brexit vote requires migrant-reliant firms to rethink business models 4 July 2016 The decision to leave the European Union may fundamentally change the business models of firms reliant on migrant labour if promises to end freedom of movement are delivered. Some sectors have the potential to respond with greater automation while others will require a smart immigration policy from government to prevent damaging staff shortages. This … Continued READ MORE
Work Welcome strengthening of pay growth following introduction of National Living Wage 15 June 2016 Real wage growth strengthened in recent months, driven in part by the welcome pay boost delivered by the new National Living Wage, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the labour market statistics. Real earnings growth increased to 1.9 per cent in the three months to April, bucking the recent trend of … Continued READ MORE
Work Disabled people face twice the ‘time out’ penalty when trying to re-enter work 7 June 2016 Radical new approach needed to prevent those with disabilities leaving the workforce if government is to have any hope of meeting its disability employment target Disabled people who have been out of work for over a year see their odds of returning to employment reduced at twice the rate of non-disabled people, a new report … Continued READ MORE
Work Welcome jobs boost, but signs that the post-crisis surge is reaching its limits 18 May 2016 The proportion of people in work in the UK recorded a modest uptick in the first quarter of 2016, confounding the view that uncertainty in the run-up to the EU referendum would hamper jobs growth, according to the Resolution Foundation’s analysis of today’s (Wednesday) ONS labour market statistics. The employment rate increased to 74.2 per … Continued READ MORE
Work Chronic lack of clear career routes for non-graduate workers stranding many in low pay 11 May 2016 Upcoming Apprenticeship Levy and Skills White Paper offer once-in-a-generation chance to help ‘forgotten 40 per cent’ Poor career routes are holding back the ‘forgotten forty per cent’ of the workforce – mid-skilled workers with at least five A*-C GCSEs but without a university education. This is according to a new report published today (Wednesday) by … Continued READ MORE
Work Step up in HMRC enforcement needed to stop employers dodging the National Living Wage 11 May 2016 Welcoming the National Audit Office (NAO) report published today (Wednesday) into non-compliance with the National Minimum Wage, Laura Gardiner Senior Policy Analyst at the Resolution Foundation said: “Two million people now earn the legal minimum following the introduction of the National Living Wage. It’s hugely concerning that we don’t know how many people are … Continued READ MORE
Work Employment at record levels but growth has stalled 20 April 2016 Fresh impetus needed to make further progress towards full employment The UK employment rate remains at a record high but has plateaued in the last five months, the Resolution Foundation said today in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. The headline employment rate stayed at 74.1 per cent in the three months to … Continued READ MORE
Work One in three workers set for a pay rise in National Living Wage hotspots across Britain 30 March 2016 Workers in Torridge, Rossendale, Woking and Castle Point most likely to benefit Up to a third of workers in some areas of Britain are set for a pay rise as a result of the introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW), the new legal wage floor of £7.20 an hour that comes into effect this Friday for … Continued READ MORE
Work Pay of lowest earners rising four times faster than an average worker’s this year 27 March 2016 National Living Wage means pay growth for lowest earners will be 50 per cent faster than average wage growth over the parliament The pay of minimum wage workers will rise four times faster than average earnings this year, according to new analysis published today (Sunday) by independent think tank the Resolution Foundation in advance of … Continued READ MORE
Work Government must adopt a new “post crisis” approach to reach full employment 3 March 2016 2.4 million more Britons in work is the prize for a bold new focus on boosting participation and helping people stay in employment A radical new “post crisis” approach to employment is needed to help 2.4 million more people into work and make the government’s full employment target a reality, according to the final report … Continued READ MORE
Work Over five million more hours needed to tackle under-employment of current workers and bring more people into work 29 February 2016 Tackling under-employment holds the key to getting more people into work as it will free up part-time roles for new entrants, according to new analysis published ahead of a major Resolution Foundation investigation into securing full employment published later this week. The analysis will say that securing full employment – now a key government … Continued READ MORE
Work Full employment drive can help over a million more over 50s into work 27 February 2016 The government should target encouraging over one million more people over 50 into work by the end of the parliament as part of its full employment drive, the Resolution Foundation says today (Saturday) ahead of a major report into securing full employment. The call comes ahead of the final report next week of the … Continued READ MORE
Work Productivity boost key to success of National Living Wage 24 February 2016 Lack of knowledge of how to improve productivity may be a challenge, particularly among smaller firms The need to boost productivity in low-paying sectors and among small employers will be reinforced by the introduction of the new National Living Wage (NLW) in April, though there are huge uncertainties over how businesses can achieve this. This … Continued READ MORE
Work Welcome jobs boost but pay growth looks set to remain subdued 17 February 2016 Employment growth continues to impress but a slowdown in productivity suggests that pay growth is set to remain subdued, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. The employment rate reached another record high of 74.1 per cent, driven by increases in both full-time employee jobs and self-employment. … Continued READ MORE
Work Scotland closes its ‘jobs gap’ as employment rate returns to pre-crisis high 20 January 2016 Welcome news comes 15 months after England’s jobs growth recovered Scotland today closed its ‘jobs gap’ as the employment rate surpassed its mid-2008 level for the first time to hit 74.9 per cent, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market statistics. While welcome, the closure of Scotland’s ‘jobs … Continued READ MORE
