A look back at the world of work and the labour market in 2024
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As 2024 draws to a close, we asked our team to review their key moment from the world of work and the labour market.
Renters’ Rights Bill
George Williams, Research and Policy Analyst
After years of delay the Renters’ Rights Bill was finally brought to Parliament. The Bill contains a host of measures designed to reform the precarity of the private rental sector, including banning the much-maligned section 21 no-fault evictions.
Earlier in the year Work Foundation research revealed 1.4 million people in the UK face the “double jeopardy” of insecure employment while living in the private rental sector. The Bill will provide this group with some much-needed protections. However, it will not necessarily put more money in their pockets or make rents cheaper. Therefore, more will need to be done to close the gap between wages and rents and make secure housing accessible to all.
Employment Rights Bill and Statutory Sick Pay
Emelia Williams, Research and Policy Analyst
On Thursday 10 October, Labour introduced the new Employment Rights Bill in Parliament which, among other areas, will deliver key legislative reform to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
These reforms include:
- Removing the current Lower Earnings Limit requirement in order to be eligible for SSP.
- Removing the provision that means SSP is not payable for the first three qualifying days.
Work Foundation estimates suggest that in January to March 2024, 1.15 million workers were not ineligible for SSP, so these changes are certainly welcomed.
The General Election 2024
Aman Navani, Research and Policy Analyst
We are used to politicians claiming that every election is of generational importance, but the 2024 general election does seem to have lived up to that billing. After a few months of drift, the new Labour Government has got its engines going with some radical policy changes including an overhaul of employment rights, a shake-up of the planning policy framework and a new devolution agenda. This was on the back of its “Get Britain Working” plan to rewire job centres to focus more on careers, employment and health support. It is too early to say whether the Government will be successful in dealing with the deep-rooted challenges that we face but it certainly feels like we are in the midst of a decisive break from the past fourteen years.
2024: The stats don’t lie, or do they?
Jon Fitzmaurice, Head of External Engagement
In a year of major political moments, there has been one consistent theme around the labour market – unreliable jobs data due to low response rates.
There are concerns that the figures are underestimating the amount of people in employment – at a time when the Government is targeting growing the employment rate to 80%. The Bank of England Governor has stated they are ‘flying partially blind’ due to measurement errors, making it harder to understand the relationship between the labour market, inflation and interest rates.
But will it get better? It is unlikely to be fixed until 2027, which risks policymakers making ill informed decisions in the meantime.
Can the Get Britain Working White Paper deliver lasting change?
Asli Atay, Senior Policy Advisor
There were many key moments in relation to employment policy this year, but mine must be the long-awaited “Get Britain Working” White Paper. It set out a bold vision to tackle the UK’s entrenched challenges of economic inactivity and labour shortages by transforming job centres and supporting young people with youth guarantees.
Our research, Stemming the Tide, highlighted the critical role of flexible working and job autonomy in retaining people with ill health. While employers are increasingly aware of workforce health challenges, our findings reveal a troubling gap between awareness and action.
The White Paper’s focus on job quality is promising, but to turn its vision into reality, both policymakers and employers must ensure good jobs—those offering security, flexibility, and growth opportunities—are accessible across the country. The question now is whether we can meet this challenge and deliver lasting change.
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