Improving working lives

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University is a leading think tank that believes everyone should have access to secure, rewarding and high-quality work and deliver rigorous applied research to tackle structural inequalities in the labour market and improve working lives across the UK.

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News

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Work Foundation announces Labour Party Conference 2026 fringe programme

16 September 2026

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University is delighted to announce their fringe programme for the Labour Party Conferences 2026 bringing together Ministers, Mayors, Select Committee Chairs, members of the Commons and Lords, executive leaders of leading companies, think tanks and associations.
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No quick fix for youth employment crisis as young people not in work or education remains near one million

27 August 2026

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University respond to the latest figures on young people not in education, employment or training (February 2026) released by the Office for National Statistics.
Young woman with red hair looking at a jobs board

Employers call youth worklessness a national crisis as more than one in three cut entry-level jobs

26 August 2026

The Government's efforts to tackle rising youth worklessness face a growing challenge as new employer evidence suggests entry-level opportunities for young people continue to decline.
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UK remains trapped in a deepening jobs drought

18 August 2026

Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, responds to the labour market figures for August 2026 released by the Office for National Statistics.
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Record 1.24 million people on zero-hours contracts as workers report “work-life chaos”

10 August 2026

A record 1.24 million people are now employed on zero-hours contracts, as new research reveals how unpredictable shifts, last-minute cancellations and fluctuating pay can create “work-life chaos” for workers.
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Putting technical and academic routes on equal footing is welcome – but skills count for little without jobs available for young people

28 July 2026

Asli Atay (Senior Policy Advisor, Work Foundation at Lancaster University) responds to the Prime Minister's speech on youth employment.

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