This report examines employment support services in the United Kingdom which help people find work. It recommends introducing a new system, the Universal Work Service, which would offer integrated employment support, skills and careers advice services.

For the UK social security system to provide an effective social safety net, it must work for everyone. This paper examines the role of discretion as exercised by work coaches at Jobcentre Pluses in the experience of people claiming universal credit who are out of work.

The Australian Federal Budget is a major annual event. It’s an opportunity for the government of the day to set out its vision for Australia’s future. This paper outlines the Blueprint Institute's assessment of the fiscal position Australia finds itself in.

The Try, Test and Learn (TTL) Fund, established in 2016, trialled innovative approaches to reduce long-term welfare dependence among at-risk groups. The evaluation found the TTL fund was an appropriate model for generating insights into effective support methods. While short-term impacts were limited, the Fund is expected to effectively help vulnerable groups build capacity, overcome...

This document considers some of the costs and benefits of introducing unemployment insurance (UI) to New Zealand. Common features of UI schemes and how they differ across countries are also examined.