Our welfare system discourages progression – investment in upskilling is urgently needed

The government is failing to join up policies – if we’re going to ‘level up’ we need a system that offers retraining and routes for people to access fulfilling jobs, writes David Blunkett

European citizens returning to their home countries will lead to vacancies in key sectors (Getty)

The government’s so-called “levelling-up” political mission is a much-needed one. But it will not come to fruition without focus and designing a joined-up system across all policy areas that deliver it.

It is not simply one-off capital projects and a tiered £4.8bn fund. Getting it right must be about creating fulfilling jobs and routes for people to get into them, especially for those in poor quality or insecure employment and those out of work. Education and welfare policies must come together to do this.

It goes without saying that for many, work has become more precarious as a result of the pandemic. For others, it has brought about dramatic change that requires reskilling and readjustment.