15 Accepted

Concerns raised about quality and consistency of jobcentre support despite DWP assurances.

Recommendation
The Department said that, even when implementing all the measures up to level five of its flexibility framework, including to meet all Intensive Work Search claimants fortnightly after 13 weeks rather than some of them weekly, its work coaches can still have quality conversations with claimants and achieve the same outcomes.31 However, in written evidence, third sector organisations raised concerns with us about the quality and consistency of support offered at jobcentres. Child Poverty Action Group and Changing Realities told us it has evidence that parents and carers using jobcentre services often do not receive the quantity or quality of support that they need.32 Education Development Trust stated that appointments with work coaches only last ten minutes which limits building lasting relationships and trust with claimants.33 25 Q 17 26 Qq 20, 21 27 C&AG’s Report, paras 8, 1.13 28 The into-work rate measures, based on earnings, the proportion of Universal Credit claimants in the Intensive Work Search category who move into work each month, having not been in work in the previous month. 29 Q 47; C&AG’s Report, para 15 30 Q 50 31 Q 21 32 JOB0003 33 JOB0001 12
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and states the recommendation is implemented, referencing prior letters that detailed a revised approach to work coach resourcing and priorities, including making elements of the local flexibility framework permanent.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government Accepted
1.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 1.2 The Department for Work and Pensions (the department) takes very seriously its responsibilities with regard to ensuring claimants have the right support from work coaches and the government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 1.3 The department wrote to the Committee on 30 June, following the session on 15 May, setting out the revised approach to determining resourcing levels and priorities. As that letter set out, this new approach involves making certain elements of the local flexibility framework permanent. 1.4 The letter also set out the evidence on which the decision to implement these changes was made. As requested by the Committee in their subsequent letter of 10 July, the department has provided more detail in its letter of 9 September 2025 on the evidence related to these changes alongside this Treasury minute and therefore considers this recommendation to have been implemented.
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 1.1 yr
Report published 02 Jul 2025