Lessons from the past to improve employment devolution, ERSA warns
The Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) has published a report urging that plans to devolve employment support to local areas should build on more than 25 years of national programmes. The aim is to bring help closer to local labour markets while preventing a fragmented system that could worsen inequality in who gets help and how well it works.
What the ERSA report says about devolution
The report, titled Delivering Locally at National Scale, argues that devolving employment support offers an opportunity to tailor help to local labour markets. It cautions against creating a system that is disjointed or inaccessible to some groups. The authors say success will depend on using established expertise, infrastructure, and lessons learned from more than two decades of national programmes.
Who could be affected
People seeking work or training may experience changes in how they access employment support as services shift closer to local areas. The warning about potential widening of inequalities refers to differences in access, quality, and outcomes between different communities if devolution is not carefully managed.
Practical next steps for policymakers
Policymakers are advised to ensure local delivery builds on proven methods and data from existing national programmes, keeps services joined up across local areas, and maintains clear standards for access and quality. Investing in local data, shared platforms, and consistent training can help keep services equitable while allowing local tailoring.
Limits and questions to watch
Key questions include how to prevent fragmentation across local bodies, how to measure whether devolved services meet local labour market needs, and how to protect vulnerable groups from any gaps in support during transitions. The report emphasizes learning from past programmes to avoid repeating mistakes.
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