Policy & Delivery

Here are the latest policy papers affecting skills and employment matters in London. Strategies specific to London are shown first, followed by national and European policy documents.

Useful information

Local Enterprise Partnership Proposal

Find out more about plans for a single pan-London Enterprise Partnership to complement existing working arrangements

Policy Archive

Browse our policy archive to access past skills and employment papers

Skills and Employment Services

Learn about the main skills and employment services in London.

West London Directory

Search for local services in West London using the database developed by the City Strategy Pathfinder - West London Working

The London Story

Read the latest update to this key piece of evidence to understand the key opportunities for and challenges to London’s labour market.

Published Research

Find out what published research is available on the impact and delivery of policy initiatives

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London Policy

Engage, deliver, sustain: a blueprint for employability services in London, London Employer Accord

April 2011

This ‘blueprint’ for engaging employers in employment and skills programmes draws on case studies from the work of the London Employer Accord. ‘The Accord’ – a pathfinder project of the Mayor’s London Skills and Employment Board (LSEB) – was set up in 2008. By the time it finished in March 2011, it had harnessed support from over 180 businesses in the Capital, many of which were new to the publicly-funded employment and skills system.

LSEB Legacy: recommendations for skills and employment action in London, LSEB

April 2011

The final revision to the LSEB strategy provides a set of actions and tasks for the Mayor of London, the newly formed London Enterprise Partnership and wider skills and employment stakeholders in the capital to take forward. The document sets out the ambitions, priorities and targets to be delivered by all stakeholders in London.

Mayor's Economic Development Strategy for London, Greater London Authority

May 2010

This strategy sets out the Mayor's goals in terms of economic development for London over the next 20 years.  The report is intended to:

  • Analyse London’s economy.
  • Discuss London as the world capital of business.
  • Investigate ways of improving London’s competitiveness.
  • Transform London into a low carbon economy.
  • Extend opportunity to all Londoners.

 

A Revised Strategy: From Recession to Recovery: The Skills and Employment Strategy for London (2009-2014), London Skills and Employment Board

December 2009

This revision takes into account the impact of the recession and the steps necessary to contribute to recovery. It maintains the strategic goals for employers and Londoners and champions the simplification of the employment and skills system.  It also establishes a set of short term priorities to March 2011.

Read more.

 

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National Policy

Universal Credit: welfare that works, Department for Work and Pensions

November 2010

This White Paper sets out the coalition government’s plans for fundamental welfare reform via a new single, integrated working-age benefit, the Universal Credit. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will have sole responsibility for the management of the Universal Credit system and £2 billion has been set aside to fund its implementation.

The Universal Credit will:

  • Provide a single, integrated working-age credit with additional elements for children, disability, housing and caring.
  • Ensure that nobody is worse-off at the point of transition onto the new benefit.
  • Improve incentives to work by reducing benefit payments at a consistent and managed rate as people return to work and increase their working hours and earnings.
  • Be paid to people who are unemployed and people who are in employment, in order to avoid the risks involved in trasferring from one system of financial support to another.
  • Be supported by a strong system of conditionality.

 

Skills for Sustainable Growth, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

November 2010

This White Paper sets out plans  for a shift in the Further Education system towards a more shared responsibility for skills. The Paper also states that those who benefit from the system, including employers and learners, will from now on be expected to contribute towards costs.

Key announcements include:

  • An expansion of the numbers of adult apprenticeships available 200,000.
  • The apprenticeships package will be improved, with Level 3 established as the desired qualification.
  • Funded training for young adults aged 19 - 24 undertaking their first full Level 2 or Level 3 qualification.
  • Basic skills courses for individuals who left school without basic reading, writing and mathematics will be fully funded, and there are plans to invest £210 million in adult and community learning.
  • Full funding for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) will only be available for those actively seeking work on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance (work-related activity group) benefits. For others, ESOL will be co-funded.
  • From 2013-14, government-backed loans for learners aged 24 and over undertaking level 3 or higher qualifications will be introduced.
  • A demand-led Growth and Innovation Fund will be implemented, with government investment of up to £50 million of government a year.

 

Local Growth: realising every place’s potential, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

November 2010

This White Paper sets out the government’s plans to encourage locally driven growth and business investment, as well as promoting economic development. Part of this commitment means ensuring that everyone has access to the opportunities that growth brings.

Key announcements include:

  • Twenty-four local enterprise partnership proposals have been accepted, in a move that will see local business and civic leaders working together to drive sustainable economic growth and create new jobs in their communities.
  • The £1.4bn Regional Growth Fund is now accessible to support the creation of private sector jobs.

 

 

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European Policy

Europe 2020: A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, European Commission

March 2010

Europe 2020 sets out a vision of Europe's social market economy, putting forward three mutually reinforcing priorities. These centre on:

  • Smart growth - developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation.
  • Sustainable growth - promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy.
  • Inclusive growth - fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

The paper also sets out a series of targets including raising employment rates, investing in research and development, meeting climate targets and improving skills levels.