Central
UK Central Government, through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and 15 agencies and public bodies, is responsible for:
- employment measures generally, except for Northern Ireland
- encouraging disabled people and those with ill health to work and be independent
- health and safety at work, reducing work-related death and serious injury in workplaces, through the Health and Safety Executive
- providing an income for people of pension age and promoting saving for retirement through the Pension Service, including State Pension, support services, pension credit, winter fuel payment and cold weather payments
- the Pensions Regulator and Pensions Advisory Service
- the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) Corporation
- the Child Support Agency and Child Maintenance services
- the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
- the Social Security Advisory Committee
- the Office for Nuclear Regulation.
Regional
The Northern Ireland Assembly, through the Northern Ireland Executive, is responsible for:
- employment and skills legislation (e.g. the 2016 Employment Act)
- economic development
- equal opportunities
The Northern Ireland Executive, through the Department for the Economy of Northern Ireland, is responsible for:
- skills strategies
- careers occupational information
- employment
As regards Scotland and Wales, employment law is a reserved (UK) matter.
The two devolved powers nevertheless have some responsibilities in this domain.
The Scottish government provides:
- the Fair Start Scotland employment service (since 2018) for employment support
- a Fair Work Action Plan (since 2019)
- support for those affected by redundancy
- support to help disabled people into training and employment
- support for getting young people into work
- an Employability Innovation and Integration Fund
- a Flexible Workforce Development Fund helping employers partner with colleges to upskill their staff
- careers and skills advice through the Skills Development Scotland agency (an executive non-departmental public body)
- joined up employability support through the following programme: No One Left Behind: Next Steps for the Integration and Alignment of Employability Support in Scotland
- a severe weather charter to help ensure workers are treated fairly during extreme weather conditions
- equal opportunities in relation to Scottish public authorities.
The Welsh government is responsible for:
- much of the overarching area of economic development
- equal opportunities in relation to public bodies in Wales
- vocational training.
Local
The executive agency of the DWP, Jobcentre Plus, is responsible for local delivery through the Job Centre Plus Offices in England, Wales and Scotland. Job Centres are supported in Northern Ireland by the Department for Communities.
English local authorities endeavour to create employment through measures to boost the local economy.
At local level in Scotland, employment is promoted and supported through Community Planning Partnerships: local authority statutory bodies bringing together all agencies and the voluntary sector operating in that area.
In Wales, local government plays an indirect role here by boosting economic development by, for example, attracting new businesses and encouraging tourism.
In Northern Ireland, local councils are responsible for local entrepreneurship programmes and local start-up programmes that help boost employment.
Responsible ministries/bodies
UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Devolved governments of the United Kingdom
Department for the Economy of Northern Ireland
Local councils in each part of the UK
DWP Jobcentre Plus
Sources
Department for Work and Pensions: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
Ian Atkinson, Governance structures and the devolved delivery of employment outcomes. Department for Work and Pensions, Research Report No 678, 2010:
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2009-2010/rrep678.pdf
Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland: https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk/
Labour Relations Agency: http://www.lra.org.uk/index/employment_legislation.htm
Department for Communities, Northern Ireland: https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/topics/finding-employment/help-find-employment
Scottish Government, employment support policy: https://www.gov.scot/policies/employment-support/
Fair Work, Employability and Skills Directorate, Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/policies/employment-support/fair-start-scotland-employment-support-service/
Sutherland et al (2015) Evaluation of Employability Support Across Scotland: http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/113172/1/113172.pdf
Local Government Association (LGA) (England): https://www.local.gov.uk/
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA): https://www.cosla.gov.uk/
Northern Ireland Executive: https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/
Welsh Local Government Association: https://www.wlga.wales/home
Job Centre Plus: https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
