Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
36th Report - Jobcentres
Public Accounts Committee
HC 823
Published 2 July 2025
Conclusions (5)
25
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We asked how the Department will make sure it provides a better service without evidence.53 The Department said it wants to conduct evaluations in a different way, to get test results quickly in order to help develop the new jobs and careers service. The Department said it is comparing and …
Government Response Summary
The government is using test and learn principles, including Pathfinders, to test the Jobs and Careers Service, and its evaluation strategy is under development with research to be published at a future date.
26
Conclusion
Acknowledged
In the 2024 Autumn Budget, the government allocated £55 million for the Department to invest in developing new digital services and testing elements of the jobs and careers service in 2025–26.55 We asked the Department what progress has been made in deciding how to use the extra £55 million in …
Government Response Summary
The government outlines how the allocated £55 million is being spent on testing and developing the new Jobs and Careers Service, including pathfinder projects, digital services, and staff training.
27
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department explained it has a phased approach to the jobs and careers service. It said its ‘pathfinder projects’ are part of the first phase, testing new ways of delivering its services. In phase two, in 2026–27, it told us it would roll out further the things it has tried …
Government Response Summary
The government is using test and learn principles, including Pathfinders, to test the Jobs and Careers Service, and its evaluation strategy is under development with research to be published at a future date.
28
Conclusion
Acknowledged
The Department emphasised that its investment committee closely controls how it allocates the £55 million funding, and that it commits money for different proposals in packets. The Department also said, however, that it has not fully allocated the £55 million in extra funding, and that funding 55 C&AG’s Report, para …
Government Response Summary
The government explains how the £55 million is being allocated for the Jobs and Careers Service, including testing, digital activity and staff training, and that re-allocations are possible within the programme governance.
31
Conclusion
Acknowledged
We asked the Department how it would measure the success of the new service and how it would measure the sustainability and quality of employment that people move into.63 In April 2025, the Department published Get Britain Working outcomes setting out eight outcome metrics that the government will monitor as …
Government Response Summary
The government highlights that it has published a set of intermediate metrics alongside the 80% employment rate target, and it will publish annual progress updates against these, starting in Autumn 2025.