Recommendation 7

For the first six months of 2024–25, the Department assessed it would need on average 18,900 work coaches but had funding for between 17,600 and 18,000.9 The Department told us it forecasts demand on a six-monthly cycle but plans resource over a longer timeframe – funding for 2024–25 was originally set in November 2021. It also said it has a judgement to make on resourcing, to balance work pressures facing jobcentres against the pressures in other service lines.10 The Department pointed to Figure 5 in the NAO report which shows the Department had fewer work coaches than it estimated it needed over the period April 2022 to September 2024, with the exception of May 2022. Despite this, the Department told the committee it has been able to meet the broad trend of demand over the last 12 months while acknowledging it may never have the right number of work coaches in any one place.11 6 The Department for Work and Pensions, Get Britain Working, CP 1191, November 2024, paras 2, 10 7 The Department for Work and Pensions, Pathways to Work, CP 1297, March 2025, paras 4, 19-20 8 C&AG’s Report, paras 11, 2.12 9 C&AG’s Report, paras 11, 2.10, 2,12 10 Qq 17, 28 11 Q 17; C&AG’s Report, Figure 5 9