Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Rejected
DWP jobcentre performance data lacks transparency on work coach numbers and into-work rates.
Recommendation
In our July 2025 report on Jobcentres, we also scrutinised jobcentre performance. We noted that, although the Department published data on its Stat-Xplore platform relating to the number of claimants in each Universal Credit labour market category at jobcentre level, it did not 17 Letter from the Department for Work and Pensions, 30 June 2025 18 Letter from the Department for Work and Pensions, 9 September 2025 19 Q 9 10 publish data on work coach numbers compared with need or on jobcentre performance in helping people move into work. We also reported that there was variation between different parts of the country in the shortfall of work coaches and in performance. We recommended that the Department should set out how it will increase transparency around jobcentres, for example by regularly publishing jobcentre-level data, including data on work coach numbers against need and into-work rates.20
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with the recommendation to publish jobcentre-level data, stating that the right level to monitor performance is at a district and local authority level. However, they will continue to develop the Get Britain Working Labour Market Insights publication and would be happy to take feedback from the Committee as this data evolves.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
3.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 3.2 The department has provided the Committee with jobcentre level data on work coach numbers in the Committee members’ constituencies, but the department’s view remains that the right level to monitor performance is at a district and local authority level. This is because jobcentres work collectively across their geographies, and there is a danger of over interpretation of short-term fluctuations at a more local level. The into-work rates may, for example, fluctuate due to the arrival of a new employer or new job opportunities, so the figures could say more about changes in the local labour market than about jobcentre performance. 3.3 The department has recently started publishing its quarterly Get Britain Working Labour Market Insights. This allows stakeholders to review progress of their local jobcentre district and jobcentres within the local authority area on into-work rates. The department will be developing this publication and would be happy to take feedback from the Committee over the coming quarters as this data evolves.