20 Accepted in Part

Department for Work and Pensions does not publish vital work coach and jobcentre performance data.

Conclusion
We asked the Department why it does not publish information at a more granular level, particularly relating to the shortfall of work coaches. The Department told us that there is a lot of data available on its Stat-Xplore platform including data about Universal Credit caseload at jobcentre level.43 In written evidence provided after our evidence session, the Department provided the Committee with data on the number of claimants in each Universal Credit labour market category for the Weymouth jobcentre.44 The Department does not, however, publish data on work coach numbers compared with need or on jobcentre performance in helping people move into work, which the NAO obtained from unpublished management information.45 The Department said it has a huge amount of data, a lot of which it includes in its annual report and accounts, and it is just a question of what to publish.46
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to develop a labour market publication strategy by the end of 2025, including into-work rates and labour market data at a Jobcentre Plus District level. However, it will not publish work coach numbers due to data quality concerns.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government Accepted in Part
3.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: before the end of 2025 3.2 Building upon the Get Britain Working White Paper Analytical Annex, which published a range of analysis on Universal Credit, Jobcentres and the labour market for the first time, the department is developing a labour market publication strategy to bring additional transparency to the data it holds. The department expects this will include publishing into-work rates and some labour market data at a Jobcentre Plus District level. The publication date will be formally announced in due course, as the department progresses the steps needed to add this publication to the DWP Statistical Work Programme. 3.3 This publication is not expected to include data on Work Coach numbers. While the department does hold that data, it is not assured to official statistics quality standards.
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 1.1 yr
Report published 02 Jul 2025