Biggest shake-up of jobcentres in decades gets underway

Launch of a new, locally-led approach to jobseeker support begins in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. 

Jobseekers across the country are set to benefit from a groundbreaking new approach to the service Jobcentres provide. This will include a new Coaching Academy; careers events focused on local growth sectors and more personalised Jobcentre appointments.   

The jobs and careers service in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, yesterday (Wednesday 4th June) became the first to trial the new scheme - marking the start of the biggest reform of Jobcentres in decades.   

The Jobcentre will test bold ideas to better work with employers, deliver services and get people into work. The reforms are aimed at involving local areas in the design of services and bring to an end a Whitehall-led, one-size-fits-all approach.   

Following the launch of the jobs and careers service Pathfinder in Wakefield, further Pathfinders will be rolled out across the country this year as the Government drives forward with its plan to Get Britain Working.

This is a key part of the growth mission, as we help more people across the country into good, secure jobs so they can get on in life and fulfil their ambitions.

Minister for Employment, Alison McGovern said:   

Our one-size-fits-all, tick box approach to jobs support is outdated and does not serve those looking to better their lives through work.   

We are building a proper public employment service in partnership with local leaders that truly meets community challenges and unlocks opportunity.   

The launch of the Pathfinder in Wakefield is the first step in this transformation as we continue to Get Britain Working, boost living standards and put more money in people's pockets, under our Plan for Change.

The Pathfinder will look at new ways to support customers and how everyone, not just Jobcentre customers, can receive employment support. It is being co-designed with local leaders from West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Wakefield Local Authority.

As part of this and in a direct response to insight that only 9% of employers currently recruit through Jobcentres, a series of careers events focused on local growth sectors will be delivered in Wakefield to match local talent with local opportunities.

The first of these events took place during yesterday's launch and focused on West Yorkshire's thriving creative sector. It was attended by skills providers and local employers including Production Park – home to sets of Netflix series' including Bank of Dave. Events to serve the local manufacturing and technology sectors will take place in the coming months and are open to all, not just Jobcentre customers.

In addition to this tests of a new Get Britain Working ‘Coaching Academy' to train up DWP staff will help ensure jobseekers receive improved support. Changes to appointments will also mean DWP services in Wakefield will provide more personalised support for claimants to help them move into stable, long-term work.

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said:  

People stand a better chance of landing a good job when they are treated with dignity and respect at a trusted local Jobcentre. 

These reforms will empower us to build on our West Yorkshire model of joining up employment support with health and employer-led services, to provide personalised support that gets people into work and puts more money in people's pockets.

Working with the government, we're investing almost £40 million to help guarantee a healthy working life to everyone in our region, and as the test-bed for the new national Jobs and Careers Service, Wakefield will lead the way on transforming our welfare system to get Britain working.

Wakefield will be the first city to test new ideas for the new jobs and careers service, ensuring that the service and its policies can be scaled up before being rolled out across the nation. Further Pathfinders, including ones that are focused on support for young people and those with health conditions will be launched later this year.  

The Jobs and Careers Service Pathfinder builds on wider investment in West Yorkshire, including £18 million for an inactivity trailblazer and an NHS Accelerator. The inactivity trailblazer launched in April, to boost employment in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity, as the government gets Britain back to health and back to work. The NHS Accelerator will help to prevent people from falling out of work completely due to ill health. 

The Pathfinder comes as the government continues to drive to Get Britain Working through boosting the National Living Wage, creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and delivering a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either learning or earning.  

Further Information

• Key findings from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) 2024 Employer Survey: DWP Employer Survey 2024 - GOV.UK  
• The local Get Britain Working Plan guidance has been published: Guidance for Developing local Get Britain Working plans (England) - GOV.UK  
• The guidance will ensure all areas are working towards the government's 80% employment ambition.  
• Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.  
• The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.