Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted in Part
Publish a roadmap for achieving 80% employment rate and jobcentres' specific contribution and monitoring.
Recommendation
Achieving an employment rate of 80% is likely to be very challenging. The Government’s long-term ambition is to achieve an employment rate of 80%. This would represent a considerable increase – from May 2018 to October 2024, the employment rate fluctuated between 74.3% and 76.4%. The Department says that in some local areas the 80% employment rate is already being achieved. Its focus will be on those areas with a much lower employment rate, and the characteristics of the individuals in those areas. In April 2025, the Department published eight metrics focusing on places and groups with employment rates of less than 80%, which it will use to track performance in the context of the reforms set out in the 2024 white paper. For example, there is a metric about reducing the gap between the median employment rate and the bottom 10% in terms of localities, plus other metrics that are about characteristics, such as bringing down the health-related inactivity rate and reducing the proportion of young people not in education, training or employment. The Department has said it will publish data on these metrics annually, starting in October 2025. recommendation The Department should, within six months: a. work with other departments to publish a roadmap for achieving the government’s long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate; and b. set out the specific contribution of jobcentres to this ambition, including the arrangements for monitoring their performance. 7 1 Availability of work coaches and support Introduction
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating it has published intermediate metrics and will publish annual progress updates starting Autumn 2025 related to the 80% employment ambition. However, it defers setting out the specific contribution of jobcentres, stating it will consider this as part of a future performance refresh.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Commission’s recommendations, as set out in the statement made by the Secretary of State on 21 July. The government's initial response was that, subject to consultation this autumn, the government will abolish Ofwat and merge its functions with water functions across the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Drinking Water Inspectorate to form a single new regulator. Until the single water regulator is fully established, the existing regulators will continue to carry out their functions and enforcement responsibilities in full. The government will clarify its expectations through a Strategic Policy Statement and ministerial direction, expected to be published later this Autumn. The government will respond to the Independent Water Commission’s recommendations in full via a White Paper, published for consultation this Autumn, and a new Water Reform Bill that will be introduced early this Parliament. In its response it will consider the Committee’s and the NAO’s findings.