Source · Select Committees · Work and Pensions Committee
4th Report – Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres
Work and Pensions Committee
HC 653
Published 8 September 2025
Recommendations
5
Deferred
Clarify changes to benefit compliance monitoring and its integration into Jobcentre appointments.
Recommendation
In its response to this report, DWP should clarify what changes it is making to the system for monitoring compliance with benefit conditions. In particular, it should set out how it will move benefit monitoring “from the foreground to the …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that further details on changes to benefit monitoring will be provided in due course, following consideration of consultation findings and the conclusion of a departmental safeguarding review currently underway.
Department for Work and Pensions
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7
Deferred
Develop a new approach to benefit sanctions, incorporating trauma-informed decisions and updated research.
Recommendation
Sanctions risk undermining the work of Jobcentres and acting against the Government’s employment goals. DWP must develop a new approach to the use of sanctions. It should consider: • adopting a trauma-informed approach to sanctioning decisions; • issuing warnings rather …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response detailed its plans for the new Jobs and Careers digital service, outlining its design and accessibility, but it did not address any of the specific recommendations or questions regarding a new approach to the use of sanctions.
Department for Work and Pensions
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8
Deferred
Set out detailed plans for building safeguarding and health impact assessment into new services.
Recommendation
DWP should set out more detail about how it will build a systems-based approach to safeguarding into the new jobs and careers service, including its conditionality and sanctions policy. We previously recommended that the Chief Medical Advisor assess the potential …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the need for a systems-based safeguarding approach and health impact assessments, but defers providing further detail pending consultation findings, the conclusion of a departmental safeguarding review, and the development of a wider safeguarding approach.
Department for Work and Pensions
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10
Accepted
Undertake a detailed review of the work coach model, evaluating impact and empowering coaches.
Recommendation
Over the next year, DWP should undertake a detailed review of its work coach model. It should evaluate the difference work coach support makes to employment outcomes for different groups, identifying those who would most benefit from more support and …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating its Evidence and Evaluation Strategy 2025 already covers work coach support impacts. They commit to publishing a review of available evidence on work coach and third-party employment support by the end of 2026, with further evaluations to follow.
Department for Work and Pensions
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11
Deferred
DWP personalised work coach support plans lack clear strategy and evidence base.
Recommendation
We were encouraged to hear that DWP wants work coaches to have more time with claimants and to deliver more personalised support. Coaching that is tailored to the aspirations of the service user and that seeks to identify the unique …
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Government Response Summary
The government initially states they do not accept the premise of the conclusion, describing their existing internal capacity modelling. However, they then agree to set out a formal framework for managing work coach demand but are unable to do so currently, deferring this until future plans for the Jobs and Careers service are developed.
Department for Work and Pensions
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12
Deferred
Manage work coach capacity better by modelling demand and developing prioritisation frameworks.
Recommendation
We recommend that DWP looks at how to better manage work coach capacity, including modelling how its planned Jobcentre reforms will change demand for work coach time and capacity. In response to this inquiry, it should set out: • a …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response focused on its Jobcentre Performance Framework, which measures sustained earnings, and stated it does not intend to introduce measures of job quality due to data limitations, completely sidestepping the recommendation to detail plans for managing work coach capacity.
Department for Work and Pensions
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14
Deferred
Provide detailed plans for 'Jobcentre in your pocket' outlining public expectations and journal interaction.
Recommendation
In its response to this report, DWP should provide more details about its plans for a ‘Jobcentre in your pocket’. DWP should set out what the public can expect from a ‘Jobcentre in your pocket’, how it will interact with …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response outlined its collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade to embed employment support within sector plans and referenced broader initiatives like Economic Inactivity Trailblazers and the new Youth Guarantee, but it did not provide any details about the 'Jobcentre in your pocket' digital service.
Department for Work and Pensions
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18
Deferred
Incorporate the good work agenda into benefit conditions and train work coaches accordingly.
Recommendation
DWP should incorporate the good work agenda into claimants’ benefit conditions. Work coaches should agree what constitutes a ‘good job’ for each claimant during a more personalised claimant commitment process. DWP should set out in response to this report how …
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Government Response Summary
The government's response describes its commitment to Jobcentre accessibility and inclusivity within the new Jobs and Careers Service, including exploring assistive technology and an evolving accessibility strategy, but does not address the recommendation on incorporating the 'good work agenda' into benefit conditions or work coach training.
Department for Work and Pensions
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20
Accepted in Part
Add long-term employment and job quality metrics to Jobcentre performance framework and incentivise providers.
Recommendation
To encourage Jobcentres to adopt longer-term thinking, DWP should add long-term employment metrics to its Jobcentre performance monitoring framework, such as whether people are still in work six or twelve months after leaving Jobcentres. DWP should also introduce metrics that …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, stating they already measure sustained earnings over 3 and 6 months as part of their framework. However, they do not intend to introduce job quality metrics due to data limitations and suitability concerns, but are committed to developing robust performance measures for the new Jobs and Careers Service.
Department for Work and Pensions
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22
Accepted in Part
Rebuild employer trust by setting Jobcentre engagement targets and recruiting specialist liaison officers.
Recommendation
DWP needs to rebuild trust with employers. This will require making better use of its network of Jobcentres and the employer advisers who work in them. To start, DWP should consider setting individual Jobcentres targets for engaging local employers. This …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, supporting the intent to strengthen employer engagement and having launched an Employer Strategy. They are exploring metrics for local engagement and trialling a Recruitment Consultant role, but do not believe setting uniform targets for Jobcentres is appropriate.
Department for Work and Pensions
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23
Accepted
Expand Jobcentre employer offer with DBT to promote better employment practices and diversity.
Recommendation
Jobcentres offer a golden opportunity for the Government to influence employers and to create more ‘good jobs’. DWP should work with the Department for Business and Trade to expand Jobcentre’s offer to employers. The two Departments should work together to …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating DWP is actively working with the Department for Business and Trade to embed employment support within sector plans and will explore further coordination. They are committed to formalising these partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding to strengthen alignment across government.
Department for Work and Pensions
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25
Accepted in Part
Audit existing Jobcentre partnerships with the voluntary and community sector to develop new operational models.
Recommendation
DWP should improve how it works with the voluntary and community sector, but first it needs to understand its current position. DWP should undertake an audit of its existing partnership work. It should use this to develop new operational models …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, committing to actively collaborate with the voluntary and community sector and develop a mapping tool to audit and baseline existing outreach partnership activity across the Jobcentre network. This tool will standardise data collection to inform a more Flexible Delivery Network.
Department for Work and Pensions
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26
Accepted
Introduce Jobcentre outreach work as a core service, taking support into local communities.
Recommendation
DWP needs to break Jobcentres out of their four walls. It should make outreach work, with staff taking Jobcentre services into the community and to locations that people trust, a core part of the new service. DWP should include larger-scale …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, developing a Flexible Delivery Network model to bring DWP support into local communities. They are testing mobile delivery via vans, designing a toolkit for community-based delivery, and using a mapping tool to identify further outreach opportunities.
Department for Work and Pensions
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28
Accepted
Detail plans for revitalising the Jobcentre estate, ensuring adaptability and co-location of services.
Recommendation
In its response to this report, DWP should set out how it will use its increased capital funds to revitalise the Jobcentre estate. DWP needs to make more of its Jobcentre spaces and it should make sure that the physical …
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Government Response Summary
The government accepts, detailing the Workplace Transformation Programme, capital investment, and Innovation Hubs to revitalise and adapt Jobcentre spaces. They are also implementing a comprehensive asset management strategy to prevent future dilapidation.
Department for Work and Pensions
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29
Accepted
Develop a comprehensive plan to ensure every Jobcentre meets full accessibility requirements immediately.
Recommendation
It is not acceptable that some Jobcentres remain inaccessible to some of the people who most need their support. In its response, DWP should set out its plan for ensuring that every Jobcentre meets full accessibility requirements. (Recommendation, Paragraph 132)
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Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, stating current Jobcentres are compliant and outlining a comprehensive, continually evolving accessibility strategy. This includes embedding accessibility into new service design, exploring assistive technology, implementing measurable actions to resolve issues, and transparent monitoring and reporting.
Department for Work and Pensions
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30
Accepted in Part
Reduce visibility of security guards in Jobcentres, ensuring a more welcoming entry experience.
Recommendation
Jobseekers are not criminals and shouldn’t be greeted at Jobcentres by security guards. DWP should make security guards much less visible in Jobcentres, with a more welcoming presence when people enter. (Recommendation, Paragraph 133)
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, stating they will ensure Security Officers are available for safety but will make them more approachable through new uniforms and training. They will also improve safety through technology, rather than solely relying on security guards, and use Innovation Hubs to test new welcome services.
Department for Work and Pensions
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Conclusions (15)
1
Conclusion
Accepted
Claimant commitments should be a cornerstone of the relationship between claimants and work coaches. But too often, commitments set work search requirements that are too generic and sometimes counter-productive (such as completing a set number of applications or spending 35-hours job searching per week). We heard that complying with these …
Government Response Summary
The government has completed an internal review of the Claimant Commitment and is currently testing a new policy model through the Jobs and Careers Service ‘Pathfinder’ to shift focus from compliance to individual employment support. They will review the policy further based on initial Pathfinder findings, but do not agree a public consultation is necessary at this stage as testing is already underway.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Instead of an internal review, DWP should publicly consult on changes to the claimant commitment. DWP should consider removing blanket requirements, such as the 35-hour job search requirement, and replacing them with a personalised action plan that is co-developed between the claimant and work coach, and relevant to the claimant’s …
Government Response Summary
The government states that the new Jobs and Careers Service will provide personalised employment support and will set out what support and advice customers can expect once the service is developed. It is considering a statement of service and will provide more detail on this in a report on delivering the Jobs and Careers Service in spring 2026.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
To demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting rather than coercing people into employment, it should introduce an employment support guarantee that sets out the personalised support and advice people can expect to receive from the new jobs and careers service. (Recommendation, Paragraph 24)
Government Response Summary
The government is exploring alternative approaches to how claimants demonstrate conditionality within the Pathfinder, including providing evidence through Universal Credit accounts for digitally capable individuals. It partially accepts the recommendation to introduce an employment support guarantee, stating that it will gather feedback, review policy, and set out next steps in a report on delivering the Jobs and Careers Service in spring 2026.
4
Conclusion
Accepted
We were encouraged to hear that the Government wants to shift the focus of Jobcentre appointments away from monitoring benefit compliance and towards personalised employment support. This shift is urgently needed. The Department now needs to expand on how it will deliver this change. 52 It is not clear how …
Government Response Summary
The government states that work coaches already tailor commitments to personal circumstances and are constantly reviewing training. While they are testing broader commitments within the Pathfinder program, they have no current plans for further research into new approaches and reaffirm their belief in conditionality and sanctions.
6
Conclusion
Deferred
Sanctions are the sharp end of benefit conditionality. DWP’s own evidence shows that sanctions don’t work, causing people to move more slowly into work and to earn less. While sanctions have a place in the benefits system, there is clear evidence that their current application is not working. A more …
Government Response Summary
The government outlined initiatives for more personalised employment support through the new Jobs and Careers Service and Coaching Academy, and committed to publishing a review of employment support evidence by the end of 2026, but it did not directly address the committee's conclusion regarding the ineffectiveness or use of sanctions.
9
Conclusion
Accepted
Work coaches are an incredible resource but they are currently being ineffectively deployed. Work coaches often do not have enough time with claimants to have an impact, with many appointments no more than 10 minutes long: not nearly enough to address the needs of many claimants who are further from …
Government Response Summary
The government has developed a draft policy framework to shift focus from compliance checking to personalised employment support, is testing a two-stage approach for Claimant Commitment meetings, and is developing a Work Coach Academy to enhance work coach skills and capabilities.
13
Conclusion
Deferred
DWP’s solution to a lack of work coach capacity is to use digital tools, with its flagship plan being a ‘Jobcentre in your pocket’. DWP plans to deliver this digital tool in 2027–28, but has yet to define what it is, how it will work and who it is for. …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focused on its Employer Strategy and the trial of a Recruitment Consultant role in Wakefield to strengthen engagement with local employers, but did not address the committee's concerns about the 'Jobcentre in your pocket' digital tool or the risks of AI technology.
15
Conclusion
Deferred
DWP should work with the employment support sector to develop a framework for the ethical use of AI in employment support. (Recommendation, Paragraph 78) ‘Good jobs’ not ‘any jobs’
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledged the value of the voluntary sector and stated it is actively collaborating with its representatives, and it is developing a mapping tool to audit and understand outreach partnership activity across its Jobcentre network, but it did not address the recommendation to develop an ethical framework for AI in employment support.
16
Conclusion
Deferred
The previous Government’s ‘ABC’ approach to employment support (any job, better job, career) has not worked. While it may move people off benefits in the short-term, it all too often does not lead to long-term, sustainable employment and exacerbates the low-pay, no-pay cycle. This is not a good outcome for …
Government Response Summary
The government committed to developing and testing a Flexible Delivery Network model, including mobile delivery vans in three geographies and a toolkit for community-based support, to address economic inactivity. However, it did not explicitly address the committee's call to move away from an 'any job' approach towards encouraging 'good jobs' even if it means longer periods on benefits.
17
Conclusion
Deferred
As a first step to changing the approach of Jobcentres, DWP should return the period during which jobseekers can pursue opportunities in their preferred sector to 3 months. (Recommendation, Paragraph 92)
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on capital investment in Jobcentre physical infrastructure and the Workplace Transformation Programme, detailing efforts to improve building design and technology, which does not address the recommendation about the job search period for preferred sectors.
19
Conclusion
Deferred
We welcome the Government’s focus on ‘good work’. Currently, Jobcentres too often prioritise short-term measures, such as benefit off-flow, rather than whether claimants enter good-quality, sustainable employment. Good jobs are better for citizens, employers and the state, while supporting a productive economy. DWP has the opportunity to bring the good …
Government Response Summary
The government's response details changes to Jobcentre security services, including a new contract with Mitie, Security Officer training, and the use of modern technology to improve safety, which does not address the recommendation on shifting focus towards good-quality, sustainable employment.
21
Conclusion
Rejected
The ‘any job’ approach has not just been detrimental to claimants: it has also led employers to stop engaging with Jobcentres. Employers will use Jobcentres if it helps them find good employees, but their experience of Jobcentre candidates is often of people forced to apply just to meet benefit conditions. …
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the conclusion that the 'any job' approach is detrimental, explaining the 'permitted period' policy for job search. While noting a shift away from 'any job' ethos in new services, they do not accept the recommendation at this time but will keep the policy under review.
24
Conclusion
Accepted in Part
Many people who use Jobcentres have multiple and complex needs, which can act as barriers to them securing employment. Too often, issues that prevent people from finding jobs go unaddressed. Jobcentres and Jobcentre staff will not be able to address these barriers on their own. If DWP is serious about …
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, recognising the value of the voluntary sector and committing to actively collaborate with them for the new Jobs and Careers service. They are also developing a mapping tool to audit and baseline existing outreach partnership activity across the Jobcentre network, aiming to inform a more Flexible Delivery Network.
27
Conclusion
Accepted
Jobcentres are not places that people want to go to. They are often run-down and lack basic facilities, including accessibility features. An intimidating security presence can create additional barriers for some. It will be important that when people walk through the door of the new service, it does not look …
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the observation, committing to transform Jobcentre spaces through capital investment and the Workplace Transformation Programme. They are creating Innovation Hubs to test new designs and improve customer experience, aiming to make Jobcentres more welcoming.
31
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We welcome the Government’s commitment to develop a locally tailored and embedded service. Local areas are best placed to understand the needs of their population and labour markets. Jobcentres need to be aware of the different local needs of people in their areas, particularly the needs of those who face …
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the commitment to develop a locally tailored and embedded service, recognizing the importance of local areas understanding the needs of their population and labour markets.