Source · National Audit Office
Supporting people to work through jobcentres
Published: 31 Mar 2025
Recommendations: 3
Type: Value for Money
NAO confirmed: 3
Department: Department for Work and Pensions
DWP has reduced the level of support it offers to Universal Credit claimants due to a shortage of available work coaches at jobcentres.
Recommendations
| Rec | Recommendation | Addressee | Acceptance | Implementation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
[DWP should take the following actions:] Assess the impact of the shortfall in work coaches on jobcentres? ability to provide the intended level of support, and use the findings from this
assessment to inform:
? the design of its future operating model for employment support; and
? how it will manage the risk of not being able to meet future demand for its reformed services.
Ref Page 10, Paragraph 17, point a
· Implemented By end of current Parliament
|
Department for Work and Pensions | Accepted | In progress ✓ NAO |
| 2 |
[DWP should take the following actions:] Strengthen accountability for, and performance management of, jobcentres, with the aim of maximising their contribution to the government?s overall ambition of an 80% employment rate, by:
? setting out the management information it will use to monitor jobcentres? performance;
? using the results of its monitoring to identify and share good practice from jobcentres that are performing strongly in order to drive up overall
performance; and
? improving how it measures and reports outcomes, with metrics covering factors such as the sustainability and quality of employment.
Ref Page 10, Paragraph 17, point b
· Implemented Not completed
|
Department for Work and Pensions | Accepted | In progress ✓ NAO |
| 3 |
[DWP should take the following actions:] Through a comprehensive evaluation programme, build on its evidence base about the effectiveness of its support model, and set out:
? how its evaluation findings support changes to its services; and
? its plan to incorporate evaluation throughout the process of making changes to the system of employment support, including through phases of development and testing and through post-implementation review.
Ref Page 11, Paragraph 17, point c
· Implemented Q4 2029-30
|
Department for Work and Pensions | Accepted | In progress ✓ NAO |
Public Accounts Committee follow-up
The Public Accounts Committee examined this NAO report and published its own recommendations. The government responds to PAC recommendations via Treasury Minutes.