Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres

Work and Pensions Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 23 Jan 2025 Closed: 1 Jan 2026 Parliament page
The Work and Pension Committee is conducting an inquiry into Jobcentres, the first in a series of inquiries in response to the Government’s Get Britain Working White Paper . The Government wants to increase employment and to help achieve this, it plans to reform Jobcentres, which it says are too … Read more
24 Recommendations
17 Conclusions
2 Reports
4 Oral sessions
4 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 16 events
14 Nov
2025
Report published
13 Nov
2025
Report published
12 Nov
2025
Correspondence
11 Sep
2025
Report published
8 Sep
2025
Report published
3 Sep
2025
Correspondence
3 Sep
2025
Correspondence
3 Sep
2025
Correspondence
11 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
11 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
23 Apr
2025
Oral evidence
23 Apr
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Macmillan Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
11 Jun 2025
View on parliament.uk
Work and Pensions Committee
Alison McGovern MP · Department for Work and Pensions David Barrow · Department for Work and Pensions Ed Lidington · Ministry of Justice
23 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Work and Pensions Committee
Abdi Mohamed · Scope Andrew McGregor · UNISON Angela Grant · PCS Balbir Kaur Chatrik · Centrepoint Liz Sewell · Belina Grow Martin Cavanagh · PCS Sam Reid · Migrant Help
1 Apr 2025
View on parliament.uk
Reforming Jobcentres; Pensioner Poverty
Idowu Khadijat Morafa · Across Ummah CIC Jo Rowlands · Leeds City Council Jo Volpe · Leeds Older People’s Forum Lauren McKechnie · Age UK Bolton Paul McGarry · Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Ageing Hub Rt Hon Andy Burnham · Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Sue Forster · Citizens Advice Liverpool Trish Martin · Southway Housing
12 Mar 2025
View on parliament.uk
Work and Pensions Committee
Becci Newton · Institute for Employment Studies Elizabeth Taylor · Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) Jane Gratton · British Chambers of Commerce Professor Peter Robertson · Edinburgh Napier University Ramesh Moher · New Challenge Saira Hussain · Federation of Small Businesses
Recommendations & Conclusions
2 results
Clear
21 Conclusion Rejected
4th Report – Get Britain Working: …
Any job' approach has alienated employers and undermined Jobcentre engagement efforts.
The ‘any job’ approach has not just been detrimental to claimants: it has also led employers to stop engaging with Jobcentres. Employers will use Jobcentres if it helps them find good employees, but their experience of Jobcentre candidates is often … Read more
Government Response
The government rejects the conclusion that the 'any job' approach is detrimental, explaining the 'permitted period' policy for job search. While noting a shift away from 'any job' ethos in new services, they do not accept the recommendation at this time but will keep the policy under review.
Department for Work and Pensions
View details
2 Recommendation Rejected
5th Report - Get Britain Working: …
Develop a coherent strategy for adult careers guidance based on needs assessment and audit.
DWP and DfE should work together to develop a strategy for adult careers guidance. This should be based on an audit of the current career offerings and an assessment of the population’s needs. It should provide an overarching framework and … Read more
Government Response
The government explicitly rejects the recommendation, stating that following the transfer of adult careers responsibility to DWP, a separate careers guidance strategy would risk their integrated Jobs and Careers Service vision. They confirm extensive prior research and will consider a broader Jobs and Careers Service strategy in the future.
Department for Work and Pensions
View details
Government Response AI assessment · 41 of 24 classified
Accepted 16
Accepted in Part 6
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 13
Rejected 2
Total 24 recs + 17 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
12 Nov 2025 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to the launch of a Report into Young People and Work
Parliament page
3 Sep 2025 To committee Further letter from the Minister for Employment, responding to the Committee's letter following up on the evidence session the Minister attended on 11 June 2025, dated 7 August 2025
Parliament page
3 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Minister for Employment, responding to the Committee's letter following up on the evidence session the Minister attended on 11 June 2025, dated 17 July 2025
Parliament page
3 Sep 2025 From committee Letter to the Minister for Employment, following up on the evidence session the Minister attended on 11 June 2025 on Get Britain Working: Reforming Jobcentres, dated 20 June 2025
Parliament page