Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Rejected
New quarterly labour market insights lack individual jobcentre and work coach data.
Conclusion
In response to our recommendation, on the day of our evidence session in October 2025, the Department published the first in a new series of quarterly labour market insights. The Department explained that this publication provided information at jobcentre district level and local authority level, which allowed it to monitor progress outcomes across the different conditionality groups of Universal Credit.21 However, we note that the publication does not give data on individual jobcentres, and provides no information on work coach numbers.
Government Response Summary
The government disagrees, stating the right level to monitor performance is at a district and local authority level, citing potential over-interpretation of short-term fluctuations at the jobcentre level. It is developing its quarterly Labour Market Insights and welcomes feedback.
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.