The report looks at the proposals and implications flowing from the coalition government’s announcements, particularly the October 2010 spending review announcements and their effects on Hackney residents. Turning to the Ways into Work programme, the authors look at the programme’s effectiveness, define the economic impact of the model and assess its broader social impact. This is all set against the forecasts for Hackney for those exiting the labour market and the likely employment opportunities that the borough will be able to generate.