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Brexit impact on the workforce & funding for social programmes
The document discusses the impact of Brexit on the workforce and funding for social programs, focusing on the role of EU citizens in the UK social services sector and the potential loss of EU funding for disability and employment programs. It highlights the reliance of the social services workforce on non-UK nationals and raises concerns about future recruitment challenges and funding uncertainty. The document emphasizes the importance of EU funds, which have significantly supported local councils and social programs in the UK, and the potential adverse effects of losing this financial support post-Brexit.
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Brexit impact on the workforce & funding for social programmes
- 1. BREXIT IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE & FUNDING FORSOCIAL PROGRAMMES VODG Chief Executives Network Meeting 21 June 2017 esn-eu.org Alfonso Lara Montero, Policy Director European Social Network
- 2. The context Most recentpublication A study of the social services workforce in Europe • EU mobility • Qualifications and Training • Recruitment & Retention • Workforce Planning & Management • Challenges & opportunities § Higher Education § Technology
- 3. The context EU-UK relationship UKopt-outs from EU social policy • Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers adopted on 9 December 1989 by all MS except The UK § Further developed in the Charter of Fundamental Rights that became legally binding with the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009 • Social Policy Protocol of the 1992 Treaty of Maastricht § Between 1992 and 1997, ‘two-speed’ Europe in employment & industrial relations § In 1997 the newly elected UK government terminated the ‘opt-out.’ A revised ‘Social Chapter’ was incorporated in the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam • Other opt-outs § Schengen § The Euro § Justice and Home affairs legislation
- 4. The context What hasthe EU meant for disability rights? • 1995 § Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) § Under DDA, businesses with fewer than 20 employees could discriminate on grounds of disability • 2000 § Framework Directive for Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation. The directive did not provide protection for companies smaller than 20 people, hence the UK had to remove this exemption from its law in 2004 • 2004 § Regulation on the Co-ordination of Social Security Systems 2004, people from the UK can live in other EU countries and still receive benefits, such as Personal Independence Payments • 2008 § Discrimination against employees due to their relationship to a disabled person became unlawful. Sharon Coleman case. • 2015 § Proposal for European Accessibility Act to set up requirements for products and services (cash machines, banking services & TV equipment).
- 5. The context What haveEU funds meant for local councils? • Councils can access European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) incl. European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) and European Social Funds (ESF), managed by UK Government • Councils can access other funds § Horizon 2020 – research and innovation § Erasmus+ – education § Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises § Range of loan products mostly suited to large scale projects § EaSI –social innovation • During 2014-2020, the ESF and ERDF are investing around €11 billion across the UK. The ESF share is €4.9 billion
- 6. The context What haveEU funds meant for local councils? Figures do not include the Youth Employment Initiative & EARDF allocations 1. Department for Innovation, Business & Skills, 2014
- 7. The context Regional &LAs’ concerns • Welsh Government § “There is a need for the UK Government (in partnership with the devolved Governments) to develop a new Regional Development Policy that provides a clear framework for closing the gap between wealthier parts of the UK and underperforming areas.” • Welsh Local Authorities § “We’ve heard people say they’re going to make sure that they fill the gap and we don’t lose any money. What’s that going to look like? You cannot overestimate the importance of that structural funding to Wales over the last 10 years.” • LGA (England) § “England has been allocated £5.3bn in EU regeneration funding by 2020, they urge the next Government to work with local government to develop a fully-funded and locally-driven successor scheme for EU funding which gives local areas full control over spending.”
- 8. Brexit impact I Thesocial services workforce • Referendum: Focus on immigration • Citizens from other EU countries are an important part of the UK workforce & economy § One in 15 workers § In 2013-2014 they paid £2.5bn more in IT & NI than they received in tax credits or child benefits § OBR estimates that their labour contribution helps grow the economy by an additional 0.6% a year
- 9. Brexit impact I: Thesocial services workforce • Studies from Ireland & the UK indicate that foreign- qualified social workers constitute up to 20% of the workforce • Social care relies even more on non-UK nationals to keep services working • Nearly one in five care workers were born outside of the UK, 28% in the EU • 2011-2015: Sharp increase in number of migrant workers in the social care sector; 40% of EU workers arrived during this period
- 10. EU social servicesworkforce EU workers contribution • Migrant workers play a key role in the social services workforce in the UK • Older people, and those with disabilities or mental health problems, would not be receiving the same level of service without these professionals from the rest of Europe • Economic migrants cannot be stealing jobs in a sector facing a much-publicised recruitment crisis
- 11. Brexit impact II: Socialprogrammes funding • Financial support for UK disabled people from ESIF will be jeopardised • Uncertainty of partnership programmes between UK and EU staff • ESF funds employment and social services-related projects • 19% of ESF funding has been spent on disability programmes since 2007 (Leeds University) • ‘Where will the funding for these programmes come from in the future?’ • There has not been yet an assessment of EU grant funding availability and the impact of its withdrawal on people with disabilities • As a potential consequence, it will be even harder to close the disability and employment gap
- 12. What would bethe impact of leaving the EU for UK social services? • Recruitment into the sector could become even harder • A career in social services could be even less attractive than it is now, with fewer jobs in cash-stripped services • With UK not bound by EU laws, low paid workers may be exposed to even poorer working conditions • UK’s social policy sector may face policy isolation, with fewer dedicated resources or opportunities to research, learn and share • It is unclear where the funding for employment and social programmes currently covered by ESIF may come from