Project Leader: David Wilkinson
Sponsor: Employment Service
Period: Due to be completed December 2002
Collaborators: None
Background
The project will evaluate the impact of the New Deal for Long-Term Unemployed (NDLTU) pilots in two areas of the UK where individuals were randomly assigned to different types of provision designed to help long-term unemployed people into jobs and to improve their prospects of staying and progressing in employment. The interventions occur at different lengths of unemployment spells in the two areas. In Bexley and Greenwich the pilot intervention occurs after 12 months of unemployment with half of the eligible sample remaining on the existing Employment Service provision with the other half entering a new enhanced pilot provision. In Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond the pilot intervention occurs after 18 months unemployment. Differences between the two areas will also be considered.
Study Design
The analysis is limited by the availability of only limited information for individuals who continued to receive the standard ES provision. This meant that it is not possible to identify the true control group to compare with the identified treatment group. A matched comparison group method is used from a pool of potential control group individuals to conduct the analysis. Two types of analysis are considered. The first is analysis of a survey of pilot participants and members of the matched comparison group. The second is analysis of administrative data on unemployment related outcome measures.
Importance of Research
These pilots are a rare example of the use of random assignment methodology for UK labour market interventions. Many lessons can be learnt from the research about the conduct of random assignment in this field of research. The analysis will provide important evidence on the impact of interventions in the labour market after both 12 and 18 months unemployment duration. In addition, the research will provide detailed information about the different types of intervention and the types of interventions that were successful.