Issue details

Subject to funding availability, GMCA are committed to delivering a Greater Manchester In Work Progression Service, building upon a successful pilot model in the Tameside borough, Tameside in Work ,which was funded by DWP between January 2022 - January 2024 as part of their activity to build evidence around supporting in-work clients.

The GM-wide service builds upon existing commitment across Greater Manchester. In October 2023 the 10 GM Local Authorities, DWP and GMCA submitted a bid for funding for the service to HMT Labour Market Evaluation Funding but was ultimately not successful. Therefore, GMCA are looking to fund the service directly from our reserves including match funding from UKSPF to enable the momentum to continue and scale up the positive outcomes for residents, whilst building our knowledge in this area.

The GM In Work Progression Service will support residents of Greater Manchester, who are in work and within a low-income household to progress into more skilled and/or better paid work or increase their hours of work. It will aim to tackle rising levels of in-work poverty in Greater Manchester and this ambition links with those outlined in The Greater Manchester Strategy to make the city region greener, fairer, more prosperous, and driven by opportunities available in all localities across the conurbation.

The programme will help people to overcome practical and skills barriers, increase their confidence to help them meet their potential, and provide specialist information on how they can develop skills for different employment sectors and job opportunities.

Grant Allocation
All GM LAs were asked to respond to a specification and complete a template outlining their delivery model, objectives and impacts, who will be delivering the service, where the activity will be delivered, outline target demographics and geographical areas and minimum outcomes and spend profiles.

The GMCA programme team assessed the responses to ensure that the responses delivered to the IWP objectives and outcomes. See Annex 1 for a summary of each LA delivery model/proposal, for information.

Each LA requested grants up to the value of £400,000 in total (£200,000 per year) as set out below:

LA Amount Requested
Bolton £397,006
Bury £400,000
Manchester £400,011
Oldham £399,756
Rochdale £400,000
Salford £400,000
Stockport £375,600
Tameside £400,000
Trafford £400,000
Wigan £399,920
Total £3,972,293

GMCA Education, Work & Skills directorate are funding this service directly from reserves including match funding from UKSPF to enable the momentum to continue and scale up the positive outcomes for residents, whilst building our knowledge in this area.

The majority of funding will be through Adult Education Budget (AEB) reserves with match funding from UKSPF. Both funding elements have already been received. There are no restrictions from AEB reserves, UKSPF participants need to be 19+ and employed, as UKSPF is only providing a match funding element this will not impact who can be targeted through the funding.
Grants will be made to all 10 GM Local Authorities. Grant funding will be made available for a 2-year pilot, with each Local Authority allocated up to £400,000 for this total period.

The payment model of this grant will be 6 monthly in advance, with the first instalment being made upon signing of the Grant Funding Agreement with further 4 payments to be made April 2025, October 2025 and April 2026.