Recommendation 6

The Departments have yet to fully capture the lessons that must be learnt from the employment support schemes to inform future large-scale government financial interventions. We have stressed throughout our work examining the COVID-19 pandemic the vital importance of government learning lessons from its preparedness and response. It is imperative that lessons are learnt from the employment support schemes successes and their shortcomings, including the lack of support for some of those in need and the large sums lost in error and fraud. The Departments report they have prepared ‘play books’ on what they have learnt so far. The Departments’ evaluations of the schemes should provide further insights, as should acting upon our recommendation that they compare UK practice with wider international practice. Publishing all the key lessons they identify would help others in government who may need to intervene in future crises. Recommendation 6: The Departments should, by December 2023, publish the lessons that can be learned from the schemes for large-scale financial interventions in the future, and what actions they will take as a result. 8 COVID employment support schemes 1 Impacts and targeting