Philip Whyte

A new report from IPPR Scotland recommends the full devolution of employment support, warning that there are “vast disparities in philosophy and culture of approach” between UK and Scottish government schemes.

Just three per cent of unemployed people were enrolled in devolved employment support schemes in the last quarter, with the vast majority of jobseekers going through the reserved Jobcentre Plus network, which the report says “doesn’t meet the needs of users or the economy”.

The existing devolved schemes – No One Left Behind and Fair Start Scotland – struggle from a lack of scale of funding, delivery and impact, according to the report.

Philip Whyte, director of IPPR Scotland, said: “The current system is arguably failing countless people who are trapped between a devolved system that suffers from a lack of scale and a reserved system that is more often punitive than supportive.

“While devolved programmes show signs of success – but could yet do more – ultimately, they are held back by responsibility being split across governments and a reserved Jobcentre system which is more often focussed on compliance than helping people reach their full potential.

“A reformed system – through increased powers – would be the next natural step in delivering a system that is person-centric and works towards positive outcomes, so that more people can enter, stay and progress in meaningful work. That’s not just good for individuals and families but also good for economy.”