Local Skills Improvement Plans: Expression of Interest to become a designated Employer Representative Body for Somerset and the North East
The Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) programme is a Department for Education initiative supporting economic growth by aligning post-16 technical education with employer needs. This expression of interest invites Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) to apply for designation in Somerset and the North East of England. Designated ERBs will lead the development, implementation, and review of LSIPs, working with local stakeholders and, where applicable, devolved authorities. This is a strategic opportunity to shape local skills systems and drive long-term impact. Grant funding will be available to support delivery, with allocations confirmed upon designation.
- Opening date:
- Closing date: (Midday)
Contents
Summary
The Department for Education is seeking expressions of interest from eligible Employer Representative Bodies (ERBs) to lead the next phase of Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) in the North East and Somerset regions. LSIPs are a key part of the government’s strategy to boost economic growth and improve opportunities by aligning post-16 technical education with the needs of local employers. Each LSIP is developed and delivered in collaboration with businesses, training providers, local authorities, and other stakeholders to identify priority skills needs and drive targeted action. The successful ERBs will:
Lead the development and implementation of LSIPs over a three-year period
Work closely with existing ERBs to ensure a smooth transition
In areas with devolution, collaborate with the relevant devolved authority under a shared ownership model starting October 2025 (currently, this is relevant to the North East LSIP, where there is the North East Combined Authority).
A total of £6.3 million in grant funding is available nationally between October 2025 and March 2026 to support LSIP activity across 39 areas. Funding will be awarded via grants and paid monthly in arrears. Specific allocations for the North East and Somerset will be confirmed in designation offer letters. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of skills provision in your region and support long-term economic development.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet the general ERB eligibility requirements. An eligible ERB is a body corporate that is both independent of Government and not a public authority or undertaking the functions of a public authority (e.g., Strategic Authorities, Local Authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships etc., are not eligible).
In determining designation of an ERB, the Secretary of State may also consider whether the body corporate is a business membership organisation, predominantly representing employers and businesses and is accountable to that membership.
Objectives
The successful employer representative bodies (ERB) will be designated to lead their respective Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP). LSIPs should be viewed as a process as well as a plan; the lifecycle of each LSIP is approximately three years and is comprised of two main stages:
Development – mobilising and engaging a range of relevant employers, providers, Strategic Authorities (in areas with devolution) and other stakeholders to develop an LSIP that meets the necessary requirements for approval and publication by the Secretary of State (via Skills England). This stage is expected to last around 6-9 months.
Implementation and Review – embedding the LSIP process in the local skills system and galvanising collaborative action to support the delivery of the priorities set out in the LSIP, keep the LSIP under review, and report on progress. The LSIP is expected to remain valid for approximately three years, until it is replaced by a new LSIP (unless there are exceptional circumstances that necessitate a new LSIP).
Dates
EOI closes - noon, Tuesday 24 June 2025
Offer letters - Early July
Deadline to accept offer - Mid July (to be confirmed)
Designation notice published - July to Sept 2025 (date to be confirmed)
Designation takes effect - 1 October 2025
How to apply
Individual application guidance for the North East and Somerset expressions of interest, as well as detailed instructions on how to submit a proposal, is available on the Jaggaer portal - https://education.app.jaggaer.com Applicants should search for 'Project_9937 - Local Skills Improvement Plans: Expression of Interest to become a designated Employer Representative Body for Somerset and the North East’. If you would like the application guidance to be sent to you directly, please contact us at: LSIP.Programme@education.gov.uk
All application forms must be sent to LSIP.Programme@education.gov.uk by noon on Tuesday 24th June 2025. Applicants must adhere strictly to the submission guidelines provided.
The publication of this notice does not constitute any commitment by the DfE to award funding and commits only to the call for competition and subsequent invitation to apply.
Supporting information
Applicants should refer to the individual application guidance documents for the North East and the Somerset expressions of interest, which are available on the Jaggaer portal: https://education.app.jaggaer.com.
They can be found by searching for 'Project_9937 - Local Skills Improvement Plans: Expression of Interest to become a designated Employer Representative Body for Somerset and the North East’. If you would like the application guidance to be sent to you directly, please contact us at: LSIP.Programme@education.gov.uk
The following documents provide further background information on the LSIP programme. They supported designated ERBs to develop, review and implement the existing round of LSIPs (i.e. those published in Summer 2023). They will be subject to substantive updates ahead of the next round of LSIP development and so are being provided for indicative purposes only at this stage:
The LSIP Statutory Guidance: sets out the overarching process for developing and reviewing an LSIP.
The LSIP stage 2 Guidance: provides further information on our expectations of designated ERBs during the review and implementation stage of LSIPs.
Applicants should also be aware of the Terms and conditions of designation, which an ERB would be expected to agree to in writing before designation.