Local versions of Whitehall’s flagship Work Programme could help create up to 90,000 jobs and save the Department for Work and Pensions £500m, a group of innovative councils has claimed today.

A report issued by the Co-operative Councils Innovation Network (CCIN) entitled Unlocking our wealth suggests devolving the adult skills budget and employment support would deliver a £3 return on every £1 invested in services based around people’s individual needs.

The paper argues local co-operative councils are better placed to assist harder-to-help claimants with disabilities and mental health challenges if freed to implement local solutions away from top-down national targets.