The UK government is encouraging businesses to use the Displaced Talent Mobility pilot to help at-risk people from around the world to help fill skills gaps.

Skilled refugees are contributing nearly £1 million each year in income tax and national insurance thanks to UK government pilot schemes to help those fleeing their homes find employment, helping to boost the UK economy and enabling businesses to access the vital skills they need.

Following a successful start, the government’s Displaced Talent Mobility Pilot has been extended for a further year, with more businesses being encouraged to hire skilled refugees while helping people rebuild their lives in the UK. First launched in October 2021, businesses ranging from renowned global companies to small enterprises have participated in the scheme, with refugees fulfilling roles as senior engineers, paralegals, construction managers, and software testing consultants in priority sectors.

The initiative aims to match up to two hundred people with UK employment opportunities, with Syrian and Afghan nationals the most common beneficiaries of the scheme so far.

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Biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, fulfils manifesto pledge to end low pay.

Since 2010, the National Living Wage will have doubled in cash terms from around £10,500 to £21,000 a year for a full-time worker.

For the first time, 21-year-olds on the National Living Wage will always earn two-thirds of average earnings.

The almost 10% pay boost, from £10.42 to £11.44 an hour, is the biggest cash increase in the National Living Wage in more than a decade and fulfils the government’s manifesto pledge to end low pay for those on the National Living Wage.

Eligibility for the National Living Wage will also be extended by reducing the age threshold to 21-year-olds for the first time. A 21-year-old will get a 12.4% increase, from £10.18 this year to £11.44 next year, worth almost £2,300 a year for a full-time worker.

National Minimum wage rates for younger workers will also increase. 18-20-year-olds will also get a wage boost to £8.60 per hour – a £1.11 hourly pay bump.

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New Back to Work Plan to help up to 1,100,000 people with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or long-term unemployment to look for and stay in work.

Additional support comes alongside tougher sanctions for people who don’t look for work, as part of the next generation of welfare reforms.

Includes exploring reforms of the fit note system, expansion of available treatment and employment support, and formal launch of the WorkWell service to help people start, stay, and succeed in work.

Getting more people into work and ensuring work pays remains a key priority for the government. It is important for growing the UK economy, managing inflation, controlling spending, and improving living standards. Getting more people into good jobs is also good for those individuals and the best route out of poverty.

Written statements – Written questions, answers and statements – UK Parliament

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A new £13m extension has been opened at Oxfordshire Advanced Skills, at UKAEA’s Culham Campus, launching new opportunities for apprentices.

The opening of the new facility completes the third phase of OAS development. The investment in the centre totals over £30 million, funded by the Fusion Foundations Programme, a government initiative to enable the delivery of fusion energy, which can provide sustainable energy for future generations, by developing infrastructure, facilities, and skills in the UK.

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The Autumn statement announcement is due 22^nd November 2023.

Ahead of the 2023 Autumn Statement on 22 November, this briefing looks at the UK’s economic situation, economic forecasts, and the public finances.

Autumn Statement 2023: When is it and how will it affect me? – BBC News

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People across the country set to benefit from more skills training, with £200 million to help them launch careers in key industries.

More than £200 million has been announced recently to support colleges and universities to offer more training opportunities in key industries, such as the growing green sector. Investment is being targeted to address the specific skills needs of each region, which local businesses and employers have identified as priority sectors in their local skills improvement plans (LSIPs), giving them access to the skilled workforce they need to grow.

Demand for green skills is set to rise as the government works to create energy security and the UK heads towards net zero. The government’s net zero growth plan predicts that the transition to a green and sustainable future will support hundreds of thousands of exciting green job opportunities in areas such as heat pump installation and solar panel maintenance, electric vehicle manufacturing and environmental consultancy.

The funding will also make sure more people can access higher technical qualifications – that sit between A level, T levels and degrees – to gain in-demand skills including digital, health care and engineering as an alternative to a traditional three-year degree. HTQs are designed in close collaboration with employers, so they equip students with the skills they need to go onto further study or straight into a good job.

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Hundreds of thousands of disabled university and higher education students are set to benefit from a new Government planner to help ease their transition into work.

Following a successful pilot at several top universities, the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Adjustment Planner will be rolled out to all students in higher education in time for the next academic year.

The voluntary planner will collate the relevant needs of students which can then be simply passed on to employers – negating the need for repeated assessments and conversations for adjustments such as specific desks and chairs, assistive software or arranging travel to the workplace.

The planner will also reduce the need for an Access to Work assessment and enable all students exiting higher education to benefit from the scheme faster. This will ensure disabled people have the equipment they need to work effectively.

The planner also contains helpful advice on what types of funding and government support is available to help employers unlock the potential of millions of disabled people across the UK.

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The UN has marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December since 1992, to spread the word on disability issues and mobilise support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities.

The day also aims to draw attention to the benefits to society of including persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life.

This year is the 29^th year of celebration, the theme for 2023 is “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities“. The day marks the need for innovation and transformative solutions for inclusive development, covering three key themes:

*Innovations in disability inclusive employment development

*Innovation for disability inclusive development in reducing inequality

*Innovation for disability inclusive development

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Research has found that more companies are reducing barriers to opportunity for young people, so that what their parents did, where they grew up and the school they attended, do not limit their chances.

The Social Mobility Employer Index 2023 of 143 organisations discovered that many employers have reduced minimum grade restrictions for graduates, apprentices and school leavers to ensure these routes into work are available to people with all backgrounds.

In addition, the survey found that 56.8 per cent of index entrants employ contextual recruitment, while 32.6 per cent do not consider grades at all.

The report found that, although there is progress, “too many employers are still offering unpaid internships”. It said: “This contributes to young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds being pushed out of opportunities that improve employability.”

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National Apprenticeship will be taking place Monday 5^th February to Sunday 11^th February 2024. Next year will be the 17^th annual celebration of apprenticeships.

The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2024 is “Skills for Life”. We encourage everyone to consider how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and employers to develop a workforce with future ready skills. The National Apprenticeship Week website has more information and a toolkit to help you plan and promote your activities.

Read more here.