Call for evidence outcome

Call for evidence and good practice on in-work progression

Updated 1 July 2021

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

1. Overview

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is committed to minimising the impact of the global pandemic COVID-19 on jobs and livelihoods. Bold interventions such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which has supported over 9 million jobs, have kept people connected to the labour market. The department will now go further, launching a new Kickstart scheme, expanding the number of sector-based work academies and doubling the number of work coaches in Jobcentre Plus before the end of the financial year across Great Britain. Work coaches are at the core of our employment offer and this increase will provide more people with the tailored support they need to move into work.

Supporting people back into work is just part of the challenge. To supercharge our economic recovery and enable people to build financial resilience we must ensure that once in work, individuals are able to progress, by taking on higher quality work for higher wages. This will support higher living standards for individuals and their families and increase productivity by enabling people to fulfil their potential. In-Work Progression therefore remains a departmental priority.

The department has already undertaken research in building the evidence base on how best to support progression. From the department’s review of existing literature on progression, we know that women, younger workers, older workers, disabled workers and workers from ethnic minority backgrounds are particularly likely to find themselves on persistently low pay. We also know that persistent low pay is concentrated in retail, hospitality, unskilled manual labour, business support services and care.

Through the recently established In-Work Progression Commission, the department wants to collate available evidence on the challenges to progression in low pay sectors, deepen our understanding of what is happening across the country and shine a light on existing good practice across the country. Also important is gathering evidence on the benefits of progression to employers and localities in which they are based. From this the department will determine the best ways that it and employers can help people progress in the longer term.

We are currently seeking input on the following questions:

• what are the specific barriers to progression in the areas of retail, hospitality, construction business support services, and care work in different regions of the UK? Are transparent pathways to progression in place in these sectors in different regions, and if not, why not? What constraints, business or otherwise, hold employers back from prioritising progression in their business models? How has the impact of COVID-19 changed attitudes to progression, if at all?
• where progression pathways and other initiatives have been instituted, what impact has this had on a business, its productivity and the locality in which it is situated? We would particularly welcome case studies and examples
• what are the benefits to business of identifying and nurturing existing talent? What approaches [or methods] do business use to achieve this and which are the most effective?
• how important for progression is enabling and empowering people to change jobs compared to ensuring established progression pathways within specific employers/sectors? What are the barriers to people in low pay from progressing by changing jobs and/or sectors? What interventions would best empower people to overcome these?
• what role does transport and connectivity play in workers in low pay not taking up higher paid jobs and other opportunities for progression such as training and apprenticeships? Similarly, do other considerations, such as childcare, play a role in not taking up higher paid jobs and opportunities that could be vital to progression?
• women, younger workers, older workers, ethnic minority background workers, and disabled workers are identified as most at risk of staying in low pay. What are the reasons for this? At what stages would interventions help each of these types of workers seek out and avail progression opportunities?
• do positive role models and mentorships offer those in persistently low pay the confidence and support to seek a way out of low quality, low pay jobs? We would welcome case studies and examples
• how can we embed a culture of lifelong learning in our workforce?

On the role of Jobcentres:

I. Could Jobcentres, in partnership with local authorities and other local agencies, play an enhanced role in supporting progression?
II. How could they/partners build trusted relationships and high engagement with low paid workers?
III. How could they support workers to have the confidence needed to pursue progression opportunities?
IV. How could they work with employers to share progression good practice?

• are there employers, think tanks, third sector organisations, community organisations, or even individuals working on progression who you feel we should be speaking to as we look in closer detail at the barriers to in work progression?

To note that through this specific piece of work we are focused on how best to affect progression for those already in the labour market.

2. Open call for evidence

We welcome written responses, in any format, from all interested parties, including businesses, charities, think-tanks, advocacy groups and other community-focused organisations, academic institutions and individuals.

In your response, please state:

• if you’re responding on behalf of an organisation or in a personal capacity
• which question you are addressing – you do not need to respond to all of the questions if they are not relevant to you
• whether you’re willing to be contacted for further information – if you are, please provide contact details
• whether you would like your response to remain confidential

Please send your response in ODT, DOCX, PDF or similar text format to progression.commission@dwp.gov.uk by 11:45pm BST on 18 December 2020. Please also get in touch at this email address if you prefer to send your response by post and we can make arrangements for this.

Privacy notice

This privacy notice explains your rights and gives you the information you are entitled to under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (“the Data Protection Legislation”). Note that this section only refers to your personal data which we process (such as name, email address and phone number).

Who controls the information you provide?

The call for evidence is led by DWP. The department controls why and how your personal data is processed for the purposes of the call for evidence.

Why are we collecting and processing your personal data?

The personal data we process are the details of individuals who respond to the call for evidence: name, email address and phone number. This is processed by DWP for the purposes of the call for evidence, so that we can more fully understand the context of the response provided. It may also include using your personal data to invite you to events or discussions relating to the call for evidence. Finally, there may be a need to follow up on your response or closely related topics.

Our legal basis for processing your personal data

DWP is processing your personal data as it is necessary for the task carried out in the public interest.

How long will we keep your personal data?

Your personal data will be retained for one year after the end of the call for evidence period.

Your rights – for example access, rectification, erasure

The data we are collecting is your personal data, and you have the right to:

• see what data we have about you
• ask us to stop using your data but keep it on record
• ask us to stop using and delete your data in certain circumstances
• have all or some of your data corrected
• lodge a complaint with the independent Information Commissioner (ICO) if you think we’re not handling your data fairly or in accordance with the law

If you have any of these requests, please get in contact with us by emailing:
progression.commission@dwp.gov.uk

Questions and complaints

You can contact the ICO through the ICO website or telephone 0303 123 1113.

You can also write to them at:

ICO
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Should you have any concerns or wish to exercise the rights outlined above in respect of the personal data which DWP is processing, please contact the DWP Progression Commission Team at:
progression.commission@dwp.gov.uk

Accuracy

DWP takes all reasonable steps to keep personal data in its possession or control, which is used on an ongoing basis, accurate, complete, current and relevant, based on the most recent information available to us. Your personal data will be stored in a secure government Information Technology (IT) system. We rely on you to notify us of any changes to your personal data.