The economy
To support the Prime Minister’s promises and the priorities set out at the Spring Budget 2023, we will use the full suite of communication levers across government to maximise economic growth for all parts of the UK.
Through a dedicated, cross-government Directors of Communication steering group, we will take a collaborative approach to our economic communications – delivering a clear, consistent and compelling narrative, and proactively engaging stakeholders and media outlets in order to increase consumer and business confidence in the UK economy.
We will drive inward investment and increase demand for UK goods and services among international buyers. We will encourage businesses across the UK to sell overseas through our export campaigns, highlighting the benefits and support available, and promoting government-backed trade finance. The new Help to Grow website provides a one-stop shop for new and established UK businesses, bringing together advice, guidance, services and support from across government to start and grow your business.
There are almost nine million economically inactive people in the UK, many of them highly skilled, and at the same time, there are over a million unfilled vacancies across the country. The Spring Budget prioritised labour market reforms to encourage people back into work, so we will help to boost the UK workforce by showcasing the benefits of returning to work, providing tailored communications to address the varied reasons why audiences may have left the workforce, and offering support and advice on how to get back into the labour market.
We will continue to support the delivery of Levelling Up commitments, ensuring communities across the UK are aware of projects and funding in their local area – from regenerating town centres and high streets, to upgrading local transport and investments in cultural and heritage assets.
A targeted, business-facing campaign will engage SMEs in areas receiving Levelling Up funding. Using local case studies to showcase how this funding will support economic growth, we will encourage small businesses to invest in projects in their area and grow their business. We will also seek to boost local engagement with the arts and culture, helping to restore a sense of community and stimulate localised growth in the cultural sector.
World-class education
The Skills for Life campaign will encourage people at any stage of life to take up the education and training they need to improve their skills, get a job and succeed in work.
Skills for Life brings together policies from across departments, helping audiences to understand the full range of skills offers available (including apprenticeships, T Levels and Skills Bootcamps) and to make an informed choice.
We will help to tackle skills gaps by promoting training and careers in priority sectors, such as digital and cyber. Activity will seek to address immediate skills gaps, as well as building a pipeline of the skilled workers employers need for the economy to thrive in the long-term. We will also deliver tailored communications to engage groups that are currently underrepresented in these industries.
Our teacher recruitment campaigns will support the recruitment and retention of high-quality teaching staff in schools and the further education (FE) sector. This year, we will develop a new strategic and creative platform for our school teacher campaign, based on the latest insights into our target audience’s emotional barriers and drivers. We will also continue to engage with the existing teacher workforce, promoting training and measures to reduce workload, such as better technology.
To support FE teacher recruitment, the ‘Share your Skills’ campaign will run across paid, owned and earned channels, targeting industry professionals in priority sectors. It will highlight the value of their industry skills and the unique benefits of a career in FE teaching – including the ability to work part-time alongside their profession, with no teaching qualification required to get started.
Measured by:
- Increase in consumer and business confidence.
- Increase in individuals and employers accessing training, including through flexible provision, leading to better labour market outcomes.
- Increase in individuals and employers developing the skills needed for priority sectors.
- Increased consideration of a career in teaching (school and FE).
- Increase in awareness of government export support among UK businesses and intention to start exporting.