Latest News

In this section you will find key news about the welfare to work and adult training and skills sector, from local delivery and national policy level and all things around about and in between (also see archive at the bottom of this page). 

We would welcome your ideas for news stories as well as contributions from other organisations, so if you want to contribute please complete our Contact Us form.

 

- May 2012

Ofsted Common Inspection Framework Changes

31 May 2012

Following consultation earlier this year on proposals for amended inspection arrangements for maintained schools and academies, further education and skills, and initial teacher education… More…

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The Work Programme One Year On

30 May 2012

Chris Grayling celebrated the birthday of the Work Programme with a speech today at the Institute of Economic Affairs, with an audience that included employers as well as those who have found work wit… More…

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Code of Practice Private & Voluntary Sector by NCVO & Serco

28 May 2012

The National Countil for Voluntary Organisations are working with Serco to produce a code to promote good practice and co-operative working between the private sector and voluntary and community secto… More…

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Universal Credit Roll Out

25 May 2012

Ian Duncan Smith has announced that the Universal Credit will go live in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire region in April 2013, six months before the national roll-out.  Tameside, Oldham, Wiga… More…

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Hodge vs Devereux - The Big Fight

23 May 2012

Robert Devereux and Alan Cave appeared in front of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday evening, in the PAC's ongoing inquiry into fraud in welfare to work. Coming on the back of the Nation… More…

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NAO Fraud in Contracted Employment Programmes

16 May 2012

It's a busy week in the welfare to work sector, with A4e being cleared of fraud by DWP and SFA and now the National Audit Office (NAO) finding that instances of fraud are low. Today's report: Pre… More…

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A4e MWA Contract Terminated

15 May 2012

Chris Grayling has announced that DWP have terminated A4e's Mandatory Work Activity contract in the South East. The findings from the recent investigations into A4e have found no fraud within A4e's M… More…

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A4e - SFA Assured

15 May 2012

In a statement issued today, following the earlier announcement by Chris Grayling, the Skills Funding Agency has confirmed that they have: "completed the additional audit work of A4e contracts t… More…

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Introduction of the Work Programme - Latest PAC Report

14 May 2012

Today sees the publication of the latest House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts reports into the Work Programme. The report, DWP: the introduction of the Work Programme, contains conclusions an… More…

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Work Programme Latest Data

9 May 2012

Well, we say latest, but what we actually mean is the latest data released by DWP. The data released today only takes us up to the end of January, so is hardly current. Can it really take three mont… More…

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