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  • 9.1 million people in the UK are currently economically inactive. Of those 9.1 million, 1.7 million want to be in work but are unable to get the employment opportunities they desperately need.
  • Yet there are 1.1 million vacancies in the UK, and thousands of businesses across the country are reporting severe staff shortages. 
  • But the support that the UK provides to those who want to enter work is failing, and people and businesses are suffering. It’s hitting the poorest and most economically vulnerable the hardest.

If we don’t take drastic action now, we risk pushing some communities even further into poverty and away from opportunity. 

The 'Future that Works' campaign, led by Communities that Work, calls for a national commitment to create systemic change to tackle unemployment, economic inactivity and in-work poverty within some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities. 

We’re asking the next Government to commit to creating a Future that Works. This means:

  1. Commit to ending employment poverty within 5 years. The world has fundamentally changed, and we need to redesign employment support for those out of work and who want to work. We need a bold plan to end employment poverty for those who can and want to work.
  2. Commit to working locally to deliver employment support. Focus on providing jobs locally for local people and those who are in employment poverty alongside working with those who have the best local knowledge.
  3. Don’t go it alone. Work with local leaders, businesses and social housing providers to make sure any investment in local support matches local need.
Support the campaign