Public sector recruitment costs
Lack of common cost-per-hire metrics and transparent reporting on recruitment costs across government departments.
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
100match
#10 - Most departments lack comprehensive recruitment cost data, hindering efficiency understanding and comparison.
Most departments—14 out of the 16 main civil service departments in 2022—do not collect full information on their recruitment costs and therefore do not understand how much it costs them to hire staff. The Ministry of Justice told us that, in common with most other departments, it does not track the cost of staff time spent on recruitment...
Matched on
terms: cost, public, recruitment
Committee recommendation
100match
#3 - Define common cost-per-hire measure, require regular reporting, and share efficient recruitment examples
Most departments do not know how much it costs to recruit staff, or how they could be more efficient. 14 of the 16 main departments cannot provide full recruitment cost data. Only one department, HM Revenue & Customs, understands its recruitment costs well enough to be able to calculate its cost per hire, which is a standard metric...
Matched on
terms: cost, public, recruitment
Committee recommendation
95match
#18 - Significant capacity and skills imbalance exists between public and private planning sectors
There is an imbalance in capacity and capability between the public and private sector. Larger developers are generally better resourced with people who have specialist skills for negotiation.25 In its written evidence, the Chartered Institute of Housing expressed concern that local planning departments across England had faced significant reductions in staffing levels, with reduced capacity causing delays in...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
94match
#20 - Progress reported on recruitment for Pathways to Planning and capacity building programmes
The Department subsequently wrote to us with additional information on this topic. It explained that: • Since it began funding the Pathways to Planning programme in 2023, two cohorts of graduates had been placed into LPAs, both of which started in September 2024. There were 87 placements in total, and recruitment for the subsequent intake had attracted over...
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment, sector
Committee recommendation
89match
#4 - Set out how the Capacity and Capability Programme will improve and retain planners for LPAs.
We are unconvinced that the Department is adequately addressing staffing capacity and capability issues within local planning authorities. Research from the sector suggests staffing in LPAs is a serious problem. The Royal Town Planning Institute’s 2023 State of the Profession report found that, in the period 2013–2020, around a quarter 3 of planners left the public sector, while...
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment, sector
NAO recommendation
86match
Civil service workforce: Recruitment, pay and performance management
By June 2024, the Cabinet Office should require departments to report fully and regularly against the recruitment metrics it has developed, particularly those on recruitment costs, so that both departments and the Cabinet Office can monitor and benchmark recruitment performance.
Matched on
terms: cost, recruitment
Committee recommendation
85match
#19 - Department introducing funding and fee reforms to address local planning authority staffing issues
We challenged the Department on what it was doing to tackle the root causes of LPAs’ staffing problems. It explained that several initiatives were under way, and that it would provide direct funding of around £12 million for the recruitment and retention of planners. It also told us that LPAs were allowed to increase planning fees in 2025,...
Matched on
terms: cost, public, recruitment
Committee recommendation
82match
#17 - Local planning authorities face severe staffing problems and planner exodus to private sector
Research from the sector suggests that staffing in local planning authorities (LPAs) is a serious problem. The Royal Town Planning Institute’s 2023 State of the Profession report found that, in the period 2013–2020, around a quarter of planners left the public sector, while the private sector grew by two-thirds. A 2022 survey by the Local Government Association found...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
78match
#29 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
Sir Tony Redmond highlighted that his review found that the lack of career prospects and opportunities produced a real challenge for trainee accountants when considering whether to go into public sector accounting and auditing. He believed that audit firms needed to give more attention to career progression and training schemes for people to encourage them into public sector...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
78match
#4 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
The rapidly diminishing pool of suitably qualified and experienced staff increases the risks to the timely completion of quality audits. There are serious shortfalls in the number of specialists which audit firms rely on to carry out audits of local authorities. To maintain accreditation, audit firms’ key audit partners must have at least three years’ oversight experience of...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
72match
#8 - 1st Report - Rewiring the state: Delivering digital government
The cross-government digital workforce strategy should include detailed targets for departments and public bodies to meet by the end of the current Spending Review period, including: the publication of departmental plans to reduce the proportion of total workforce and cost of contractors in digital and technology roles; a clear plan to deliver on the Prime Minister’s commitment for...
Matched on
terms: cost, public
Committee recommendation
72match
#25 - 76th Report - New Hospital Programme update
The Department told us that while there had been a slight pause in recruitment, the programme was not currently under a recruitment freeze for key roles and it did not currently see resourcing as a concern.55 We challenged the Department on this, highlighting that the impact of public sector vacancies on deliverability was rated red on the programme’s...
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment, sector
Committee recommendation
68match
#25 - Third Report - Delivering the Government’s infrastructure commitments through major projects
Efforts to address capability are welcome but will take time to take effect. A scarcity of appropriately experienced people and salary constraints in the public sector contribute to the ongoing problem of shortages, particularly in the SRO role. The Government needs to recognise that capability is a potential constraint on its infrastructure plans.
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
65match
#58 - 11th Report - Toward a new doctrine for economic security
The UK’s ability to deter economic threats depends upon agencies having the necessary staff in place to investigate wrongdoing. Currently, the UK depends on professionals committed to keeping the country safe, but today’s pay scales mean that frontline enforcement agencies cannot attract the staff they need to adequately police the threat. Disparities with the private sector are significant...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Inquiry recommendation
65match
RHI-8 - Job-Specific Recruitment
A fundamental shift is needed in the approach used within the Northern Ireland Civil Service with regard to recruitment and selection for government jobs. This must involve an up-front assessment of the skills that are required to fulfil the specific role in question, rather than matching a person to a role according to an individual's grade and level...
Matched on
terms: recruitment
Committee recommendation
64match
#21 - First Report - A hostage to fortune: ransomware and UK national security
The NCA’s resourcing challenges are exacerbated by the Government’s failure to allow them to offer salaries that might attract those with specialist skills. It will always be difficult for the NCA to compete with the private sector, particularly for roles requiring high-level cyber skills, but it is unacceptable that NCA officers are paid less than their policing counterparts....
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
64match
#7 - Develop strategy for attracting and retaining civil service skills for hospital construction.
The Programme is over-reliant on consultancy services. NHP has depended heavily on external consultants since its creation, with 62% of posts filled using consultancy services in February 2023. DHSC estimates it will spend a further £842 million on consultancy services between 2023–24 and 203031. Some use of consultancy is to be expected on major construction programmes, but, as...
Matched on
terms: public, sector
Committee recommendation
64match
#24 - 76th Report - New Hospital Programme update
In 2023 the previous Committee reported that the programme had struggled to recruit staff and had relied too heavily on external consultants.51 As of November 2025, the programme had a vacancy rate of 39%, resolution of which was being hampered by a recruitment freeze following the Department’s plans to abolish NHS England.52 These capability gaps could slow delivery,...
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment
IMB recommendation
63match
Gartree (2021)
Can the Prison Service share with the Board how it will ensure the recruitment of staff to Gartree when salaries in the public sector compared to private prisons appear lower? For example, HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough has recently been recruiting for officers with a starting salary of £25,164 p.a. versus Gartree at £23,144 p.a. (Source: Indeed.co.uk).
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment, sector
Committee recommendation
61match
#26 - 4th Report - Housing Conditions in the Private Rented Sector
We are concerned that many local authorities do not have enough suitability skilled staff to robustly regulate and enforce standards in their private rented markets. If not addressed this problem threatens to undermine the steps the government is taking to raise standards and the effectiveness of other reforms introduced by the Renters’ Rights Act. (Conclusion, Paragraph 113)
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
60match
#3 - Twenty-Ninth Report - Whitehall preparations for EU Exit
Government continues to spend too much on consultants to undertake work that could be better done by civil servants, and does not do enough to utilise or develop skills and experience in-house. At the peak, more than 22,000 civil servants worked on EU exit, and at present that number is around 15,000. The civil service responded to this...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
60match
#16 - Forty-Eighth Report - Digital Services at the Border
The Department acknowledged that it has faced strong competition for people with the scarce technical skills required to deliver the programme, including from other government departments. The Department has now designed framework contracts with outside suppliers so that it is the responsibility of the suppliers to provide the right people with the right skills to support the programme.31...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
60match
#27 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
We challenged the Department on the sustainability of firms auditing £100 billion a year of spending by local government while relying on only a few hundred auditors with the requisite skills. The Department and PSAA recognised the challenge which audit firms faced in having sufficient people to take on all the work required in auditing local authorities.77 The...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
60match
#17 - Twenty-Eighth Report - Efficiency in government
We asked the Cabinet Office whether it intends to reduce departments’ spending on consultants, which has been high and increasing following Brexit and COVID-19. The Cabinet Office told us it has a strong programme to try and cut the external spend, and that departments should only use external staff when they offer unique skills which would not be...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#27 - 1st Report - Who watches the watchdogs? Improving the performance, independence and accountability of UK regulators
When conducting Public Body Reviews of regulators, the Government should assess whether regulators can attract the necessary staff within their current funding regimes and payscales. If they are unable to do so, the Government should allow regulators greater discretion to move outside of those payscales.
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#17 - Twenty-Ninth Report - Whitehall preparations for EU Exit
There has been high turnover among staff working on EU Exit, particularly at senior levels. DExEU has had three Permanent Secretaries, the Border Delivery Group has had three Director-Generals, and there have been changes at Permanent Secretary grade in key Departments impacted by EU Exit, including Defra and HMRC.46 The Cabinet Office believes that the large majority of...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#16 - Twenty-Ninth Report - Whitehall preparations for EU Exit
At the peak, more than 22,000 civil servants worked on EU Exit, and at present the Cabinet Office reports that the number is around 15,000.43 The civil service responded to this demand by moving staff between departments. In particular two thirds of staff in DExEU came on secondment from other departments and many were drawn from the fast...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#2 - Thirty-second Report - Specialist Skills in the civil service
The civil service struggles to attract and retain specialist staff. Since 2010 the civil service has been subject to pay restrictions, which have limited its ability to offer progressive pay packages to staff. Areas such as Digital and Commercial have struggled to recruit and retain specialists because there is strong external competition for these skills. Functions have introduced...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#28 - Eleventh Report - Local auditor reporting on local government in England
PSAA highlighted that the age profile of key audit partners was a factor likely to increase the challenge which audit firms faced, in having sufficient staff.80 EY confirmed that it was facing a retirement issue for its key audit partners, with most having been in careers in local audit for 30 years or so, and in Grant Thornton...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#23 - 71st Report - Government’s use of external consultants
We asked the Cabinet Office when it expects to publish the new strategic workforce plan. It told us that there is no confirmed publication date at present, but it hoped the government would be able to release the plan within four months of when we took evidence (which was on 15 December 2025). The Cabinet Office told us...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
56match
#39 - DHSC's future plans contradict reducing consultant reliance, projecting £842 million spend by 2031.
However, DHSC’s actual plans seem to contradict this, indicating an ongoing reliance on external delivery partners to provide professional and technical skills and for specific assignments. It estimates that it will spend £842 million on consultancy services between 2023–24 and 2030–31, which represents 75% of its total day-to-day expenditure for those years.85 Such a reliance in a long-term...
Matched on
terms: public
IMB recommendation
56match
Dungavel House IRC (2021)
Recruitment of members is a serious problem for the IMB. Dungavel IRC is remote, with negligible public transport links. There were three applicants in 2021 and they were interviewed in the summer. Two were recommended by the interviewers. By the end of 2021 neither had reached the stage of being able to visit the centre. We would recommend...
Matched on
terms: public, recruitment
Committee recommendation
53match
#25 - 2nd Report - Growing pains: clarity and culture change required - An examination of the secondary...
The FCA and PRA should review the compensation they offer to staff with a view to introducing appropriate incentives to help to attract talent with a practitioner ’s background in regulated financial services sectors.
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
52match
#29 - 1st Report - Who watches the watchdogs? Improving the performance, independence and accountability of UK regulators
The Committee sees merit in regulators setting up centres of excellence to pool their resources. Seconding industry staff to centres of excellence could help reduce the potential for conflicts of interest by providing an intermediate step between them and their sector’s regulator. (Paragraph 157) Accountability
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
52match
#26 - 1st Report - Who watches the watchdogs? Improving the performance, independence and accountability of UK regulators
Regulators face a challenge to recruit and retain more specialised staff due to the higher rates of pay available for the same skills in the private sector, and in some instances at other regulators. Industry secondees may help to address this challenge, but create potential conflicts of interest which must be managed.
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
52match
#45 - 3rd Report – Access to Justice: Legal Aid
To preserve the principle of equality of arms, legal aid barristers should be paid comparable rates to state barristers in claims against public authorities. In order to prevent cannibalisation from other civil legal aid fee schemes, non-inquest categories must also have their fees uplifted such that they are competitive with any new rates chosen by the government. (Recommendation,...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
52match
#52 - 2nd Report - Reading for Pleasure
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport should put funding in place for a dedicated outreach officer for all library services, which is estimated to cost £7.5 million. (Recommendation, Paragraph 186)
Matched on
terms: cost
Committee recommendation
52match
#26 - Third Report - Delivering the Government’s infrastructure commitments through major projects
The Government must give further consideration to civil service upskilling if it is to deliver its infrastructure commitments, which might include a commitment to making salaries more competitive, at least in the short term. The Cabinet Office should review whether a separate pay system or allowance for SROs and valuable project managers would help keep them in their...
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
52match
#160 - 1st Report - High Streets: Life beyond retail?
Throughout their evidence session with us, the new Ministers emphasised the central role of local authorities and local communities in deciding the spending priorities for their area and managing their spending in line with this. 323 When questioned about how this may be impacted by the resource and expertise gaps in local government, the Minister for Democracy and...
Matched on
terms: recruitment
Inquiry recommendation
51match
ETI-3 - Staffing Guidance
The guidance mentioned in the first recommendation should include: advice concerning the circumstances in which civil servants in the inquiry team may properly transfer to posts, other than promoted posts, within other government departments or agencies; which positions within the administration of a public inquiry may be filled by the employment of agency staff; and whether longer-term contracts...
Matched on
terms: public
NAO recommendation
51match
Improving the performance of major equipment contracts
d) The Department should work with the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury to address shortfalls in vital contract and programme management skills. Differing levels of remuneration and terms of employment between different parts of the Department, between the Department and other parts of government, and between government and other sectors create long-term skills gaps. Reliance on buying in...
Matched on
terms: sector
Committee recommendation
48match
#28 - 1st Report - Who watches the watchdogs? Improving the performance, independence and accountability of UK regulators
Where regulators face common issues and struggle to recruit the necessary staff individually, they should consider pooling their resources. The Government should consider what measures it could take to facilitate this pooling .
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
48match
#8 - Forty-Eighth Report - HMRC’s management of tax debt
HMRC told us it was planning to recruit more than 1,000 debt management staff in 2021–22, but it was starting with a staffing shortfall. At September 2021, HMRC’s debt management team had 300 fewer FTE staff than it had planned. It was awarded additional funding for 600 FTE staff for three years at Budget 2020. HMRC believed the...
Matched on
terms: public
IMB recommendation
48match
Five Wells (2025)
What steps will the Minister take to improve the poor recruitment record for IMB members?
Matched on
terms: recruitment
Committee recommendation
48match
#18 - 4th Report - Homecare medicines services: an opportunity lost
The review must outline necessary steps towards establishing a central resource of experienced procurement professionals to assist in establishing homecare medicines services. This must be available to all those establishing agreements, whether they are manufacturer- or NHS-funded. (Paragraph 75) Regulators
Matched on
terms: public
Committee recommendation
48match
#5 - 9th Report - Higher Education and Funding: Threat of Insolvency and International Students
The Government should support universities to address the financial challenges caused by the requirement for some universities to offer membership of the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. The current situation is imposing a high cost on providers in the scheme, whilst incentivising them to outsource staffing to wholly owned subsidiary companies as a way to get round the requirement to...
Matched on
terms: cost
IMB recommendation
48match
High Down (2023)
The lack of prison probation workers in OMU resulted in enormous workloads for remaining probation staff. Recruitment directives, prioritising community probation workers, makes recruitment more difficult. What does the Minister intend to do about the probation staffing issues within prisons?
Matched on
terms: recruitment
NAO recommendation
48match
The administrative cost of the tax system
HMRC should Increase levels of compliance yield per case worker with the aim to return to pre-pandemic levels of performance as soon as possible. Experienced caseworkers should be expected to generate yield levels closer to historic levels more quickly. HMRC should ensure that its benchmark for good levels of compliance yield per caseworker take account of historic levels,...
Matched on
terms: cost
NAO recommendation
47match
Managing the BBC’s pay-bill
c) keep all pay targets under review to ensure they are stretching, but realistic and that they keep the BBC in a strong position compared to the public sector and other media organisations; and
Matched on
terms: public, sector
IMB recommendation
47match
Send (2025)
The inconsistency in pay rates in different prisons, particularly between those in the private and public sector, is unfair and needs to be addressed (7.2).
Matched on
terms: public, sector