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Our work with regional and local government

We partner with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) and local government, helping to ensure that devolution of employment and skills across the UK benefits individuals, communities and the economy. 

We produce influential, actionable research that combines intellectual rigour with an understanding of the operational realities of local government.

Why work with L&W?

Strategic Authorities are already working with us to develop evidence-based approaches to adult skills and employment policy and practice. As independent and highly regarded experts in the field, we’re ideally placed to help you:

  • Understand ‘what works’ across adult learning, skills and employment, helping you to tackle key challenges in policy and practice through evidence use and fresh data insights
  • Bring together key stakeholders as an honest and impartial broker, helping you to build consensus and move your agenda forward
  • Deliver robust evaluation of policy initiatives and programmes, helping you to understand impact and generate actionable learning for next time
  • Share and celebrate innovation, effective practice and the difference you’re making in your region, through our sector-leading events programme, campaigns and regional adult learning awards.

Our work is focused on supporting places to design, implement and evaluate interventions that respond to local need. We work alongside officers, delivery partners and regional stakeholders to support evidence-based decision making at a local level.

We also work closely with the Welsh Government and Medr. Take a look at our work in Wales.

Connect with one of our experts on learning, skills and employment – we’re always happy to discuss a policy challenge, research need or partnership opportunity.

Contact us

Discover examples of our work in…

Research and evaluation

We deliver the full spectrum of qualitative and quantitative research, analysis and evaluation, combining advanced data analysis with rich, insight-driven methodologies. Our evaluation and research work has included:

Policy and learning

We combine robust, evidence-led policy and research expertise with a collaborative, place-based approach to help local government partners understand local need, design practical solutions, and deliver impact. Our policy and partnership work has included:

  • Reviewing the West Midlands Combined Authority’s ESOL provision
  • Developing top tips to support local government to develop and deliver Connect to Work effectively, and ‘how to’ guides for local government on labour market recovery and renewal
  • Providing practical guidance, based on user research, to inform the rollout of Connect to Work in London

Piloting and trials

We design, deliver and learn from trials and pilots, working alongside partners to test new approaches in order to generate robust evidence on what works, and refine scalable solutions to complex employment and skills challenges. Some of our work related to pilots and place-based solutions includes:

  • Piloting community-led employment support across England through JobsPlus, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions and Youth Futures Foundation
  • Supporting people across the UK to reskill and change careers through our New Futures pilots, funded by the Covid-19 Support Fund
  • Designing, in partnership, a proposed model for a new, evidence-led, in-work progression programme in Edinburgh

Campaigns and events

We work with partners to develop and deliver engaging campaigns and events that inspire, connect and inform. Our campaigns and events work includes:

You might be interested in

Delivering adult learning awards

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Piloting community-led employment support

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Modelling essential skills needs across England

 

 

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Local action plans for healthier working lives

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Implementing the Youth Guarantee

Catch up on our webinar with Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands

View on demand

17 June 2026

Evaluation of Central London Forward’s Youth Guarantee Trailblazer 

Employment Young people Reports & briefings

Learning and Work Institute has evaluated the first year of delivery of Full Potential, the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer delivered by Central London Forward.

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9 June 2026

Final report: Evaluation of the JobsPlus Pilot

Better work Employment Young people Reports & briefings

This evaluation of JobsPlus builds on the interim findings published in September 2025 to provide evidence on whether the model can be adapted to the UK context and effectively implemented to improve employment outcomes.  

Read more

9 June 2026

Innovative, “hyper-local” approach to employment support completes two years

Employment News & articles

An innovative employment support pilot spanning Medway to Merseyside has shown promise reaching social housing residents who are out of work but do not typically access mainstream support.

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1 April 2026

Final report: Supporting the progression of low-income workers in Scotland

Better work Reports & briefings

This report shares findings from the second phase of our programme of work funded by the Robertson Trust and delivered in partnership with Edinburgh College. It sets out a proposed model for a new, evidence-led, in-work progression programme in Edinburgh.

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19 March 2026

ESOL provision for 16–19-year-olds

Essential skills Reports & briefings

Learning and Work Institute (L&W) was commissioned by the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration (SESPM) and funded by MHCLG, to research availability, challenges and opportunities in ESOL provision for 16-19‑year‑olds across the South East.

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26 February 2026

New innovation trial offers young Londoners with health conditions tailored support to get ‘work ready’

Employment Young people News & articles

Shaw Trust is funding and designing a new service to help young people with a health condition or disability get ‘work ready.’ The innovation trial will be evaluated by L&W and launched in partnership with the West London Alliance.

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13 January 2026

Labour Market Evidence Programme

Employment Projects & campaigns

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has commissioned the Institute for Employment Studies, in partnership with Learning and Work Institute, to deliver evidence reviews and practical resources on key labour market issues to help inform local policymakers.

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2 January 2026

Getting neighbourhoods working: over 1,000 people take part in community-led employment support

Employment News & articles

Over 1,000 people have engaged with JobsPlus, a new community-led approach to finding work and increasing earnings which is being piloted across England from Medway to Merseyside following the model’s success in the United States.

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18 November 2025

Responding to higher technical skills needs

Apprenticeships & technical education Better work Reports & briefings

Supported by Gatsby Charitable Foundation, this report explores employer and employee decision making about training and the development of higher technical skills.

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