In Edinburgh, and the rest of Scotland, significant numbers of people are experiencing in-work poverty, and face a range of barriers to career progression. There is increasing policy attention in Scotland on ways to support progression, as part of the wider fair work agenda, but less agreement and limited evidence on what actually works.

L&W’s new report shares findings from the first phase of a programme of work funded by the Robertson Trust and delivered in partnership with Edinburgh College. This builds the evidence base on what works to best support low-income workers to progress into better jobs, and to adapt and test proven in-work progression models in Scotland. During the autumn the project will bring together low-income workers, employers, and providers to co-design a pilot in-work support programme in Edinburgh to help people progress at work.

The report highlights that development and implementation of a new in-work progression programme will come with very real challenges. However, meeting these challenges could help to drive progress towards fairer work and a reduction in poverty in Scotland.

Get involved

We welcome approaches from employers and providers in health and social care in Scotland – and we’d love to hear about successful examples of progression in health and social care from across the UK too.

Contact the project team

3 November 2026

The road to net zero: How far have we come?

Commissioned by NOCN Group, this report finds that the number of people being trained in green skills and jobs is rising. However, current training uptake, qualification pathways and workforce readiness still fall short of what’s required to reach net zero.

Read more

3 November 2026

UK risks missing Net Zero target owing to shortages of skills and workers

New L&W research, commissioned by NOCN Group, reveals key sectors for decarbonisation lack the workers and skills for the UK to reach Net Zero by 2050.

Read more

28 October 2026

Tax bills and investment in skills: How can tax relief on training better support UK engineering and manufacturing?

A new Skills Tax Credit could unlock £2.2 billion of additional investment in skills according, to new research commissioned by Enginuity and produced by Learning and Work Institute. 

Read more

28 October 2026

A Skills Tax Credit for businesses could unlock £2.2 billion skills boost, including in sectors key to growth

Research from Learning and Work Institute (L&W) published today alongside the autumn budget finds that a Skills Tax Credit could produce a £2.2 billion boost to skills across the economy by incentivising more employer investment in training.

Read more

20 October 2026

Labour market dashboard

Every month, Learning and Work Institute produces detailed and timely analysis of the latest labour market statistics from ONS. Explore our interactive charts.

Read more

22 September 2026

Building an AI-ready workforce: Creating a skills system that prepares UK knowledge workers for the AI transition

AI has transformative potential for the UK economy and could present a net uplift to productivity of up to £80 billion by 2035. Yet the UK workforce does not – yet – have the skills to successfully adopt and scale AI technologies in a truly transformative way.

Read more

22 September 2026

AI skills investment could add £80 billion to the UK economy

The UK can secure an £80 billion boost to its economy by 2035 if the Government and businesses act together to strengthen the technical skills system, according to a major report published today by L&W and The Rigby Foundation.

Read more

7 September 2026

UK must make training the ‘go-to’ response to skills needs, or risk holding back growth, new report warns

The Government’s plans to get the economy growing risk falling short unless it takes action to reverse sharp falls in the training employees get at work, new analysis warns.

Read more

7 September 2026

Understanding employer investment in skills

This is the third and final report of our project funded by the Nuffield Foundation looking at employer investment in skills, and how employees are responding to the need to upskill and retrain in a transitioning economy.

Read more