As part of our plans to Get Britain Working and create a new Jobs and Careers Service, we are making employment and careers support available to everyone, including those who are not currently engaged with Jobcentre Plus services. This includes our recently launched digital service, ‘Work Hub’, which provides customers with access to an AI work assistant, CV builder and job-search tool, whenever they need it. In addition, the National Careers Service website provides free, up to date, impartial information, advice and guidance on careers and skills.

We have also expanded our community-based employment and careers support to reach those who might not otherwise engage with DWP services, including increasing the number of Jobcentre vans to nine, and working with partners to deliver employment support in libraries, GP surgeries and local authority buildings.

Work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement, and this government recognises the wealth of skills and experiences that midlife workers bring both to the workplace and the economy. DWP policies, such as 50PLUS Champions and Additional Work Coach Time for customers aged 50 and over, form part of a wide-ranging strategy that promotes age-inclusive employment practices, flexible working, and progression and career development.

The department takes seriously the findings from the Evaluation evidence from policies targeted at claimants aged 50 plus - GOV.UK published on 28 May, which evaluated the effectiveness of Additional Work Coach Time, 50PLUS Champions and the digital Midlife MOT.

Going forward, as part of our plans to Get Britain Working and create a Jobs and Careers Service, we are reforming employment support to make it more inclusive and better tailored to individuals. This includes strengthening the support we offer to people aged 50 and over to help them move back into good, meaningful work and progress in work. We will consider the evaluation findings as part of this.

DWP recognises the importance of providing learning to enable all Jobcentre staff in customer contact roles to meet the needs of all our claimants, including those with hidden disabilities.

Jobcentre staff receive role specific learning, which:

• provides a definition of hidden disability and explains the impacts this may have on claimants
• gives examples of hidden disabilities and health conditions
• provides awareness of undiagnosed hidden disability
• ensures learners understand both their Public Sector Equality Duty responsibilities, and how to support claimants’ additional needs

• enables staff to signpost claimants to appropriate external specialist support.

When a claimant is allocated to a Work Coach or Case Manager they are currently provided with a named point of contact.

Universal Credit is a digital-first service, but it is not digital-only. Support is available by telephone and face to face where appropriate, including for vulnerable claimants or those who cannot access digital services.

Claimants can opt to make and manage their claim by telephone. Work Coaches and Case Managers can use alternative contact methods, with appropriate easements and safeguards in place to help claimants maintain their claim. Home Visits are also made if this is deemed the most appropriate method for the claimant.

Where a claimant cannot manage their affairs independently, an appointee or authorised representative may act on their behalf in dealings with the Department. A representative is any person or organisation acting on behalf of, or making enquiries for, the claimant. This can be arranged at any stage of the claimant’s Universal Credit claim if a claimant is unable to understand more complex issues or unable to maintain their account. This information can only be provided to the third party if there is explicit consent. Certain information, such as documents relating to identification, can never be released to a third party under any circumstances. If the claimant has given consent, then the third party can contact the department by phone on their behalf.

Accessibility needs and reasonable adjustments are considered individually on a case-by-case basis and reviewed regularly.

The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is used to procure Flexible Support Fund (FSF) provision to support claimants into employment, increase earnings, or move closer to the labour market.

DPS contracts are managed at District level, with regular performance monitoring throughout their duration, including monthly reviews and end-of-contract evaluations. Information on delivery and effectiveness is shared locally through District Partnership Teams to support ongoing performance management and improvement.

At a national level, a cross-Group Operational Delivery Group meets monthly, where DPS provision is a regular agenda item. This enables the sharing of performance information, insights, and best practice across regions. In addition, offices share information and good practice through established internal communication channels and collaboration forums at both regional and national level.

We regularly review the effectiveness of the mechanisms in place.

Jobcentre guidance emphasises identifying, recording and acting on a claimant’s individual needs, including any reasonable adjustments, accessibility requirements or support.

This helps Work Coaches plan appointments in a way that reflects the claimant’s circumstances, including tailoring frequency, format and communication method. Appointments can be flexed and delivered by alternative channels, such as telephone or home visits, where appropriate.

Enhanced service journeys provide more flexible and proactive contact for claimants needing additional support.

Staff are expected to consider each claimant’s circumstances when arranging and reviewing appointments, helping to minimise unnecessary changes or cancellations and provide a stable, effective service.

DWP has established processes to identify, record and share relevant information about claimants’ circumstances, including vulnerabilities, so staff can provide appropriate support.

Colleagues carry out vulnerability checks and record outcomes on DWP systems, considering health conditions, disabilities, life events and personal circumstances.

Where additional needs are identified, information is recorded on relevant systems, including the Customer Information System and Universal Credit, covering complex needs, reasonable adjustments and support arrangements. Managers also assure themselves that processes are operating correctly.

Claimants can advise us verbally of any health conditions and vulnerability needs, or they can update digitally via their Journal on their Universal Credit. This helps staff tailor appointments and contact.

Frontline Jobcentre staff are trained to identify and support vulnerable customers, including through mental health awareness and reasonable adjustments guidance. More complex cases can be escalated where needed.

Together, these measures help ensure relevant information is captured and accessible, enabling personalised support.

DWP has conducted a number of evaluations that looked at the effectiveness of employment support programmes. This includes:

Qualitative research (2021–2023) on the effectiveness of Work Search Review (WSR) meetings delivered through Jobcentres - a core way of how Jobcentres and customers interact to discuss finding work: What makes work search reviews effective? - GOV.UK. The findings show that effectiveness depends on good rapport and a tailored approach from work coaches, reflecting each customer’s barriers, skills, motivation and aspirations. Effective meetings balance encouragement with appropriate challenge to customers’ beliefs about what they can achieve. Work Search Reviews are more effective when work coaches have sufficient time to prepare and carry out the meetings and flexibility to tailor the frequency and format, supporting better engagement and outcomes.

A quantitative impact assessment of Sector-based Work Academy Programmes: Sector-based Work Academy Programme: A Quantitative Impact Assessment - GOV.UK. This showed that starting a SWAP increases the time 20 to 65-year-old Universal Credit customers spend in employment.

An evaluation of the Youth Offer in 2024: Youth Offer process evaluation - GOV.UK, with a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee planned.

In Great Britain, Jobcentres can also signpost or refer customers to a range of employment support programmes, many of which are delivered by externally contracted providers or Mayors and Local Authorities. This includes programmes introduced under this government such as Connect to Work and Workwell, which will be evaluated appropriately.

In Northern Ireland, employment support is delivered through Jobs and Benefits Offices. Programmes are evaluated separately to those in Great Britain.

The Department is committed to providing a high standard of customer service for claimants contacting Jobcentre Plus and DWP about all of its services, including Jobseeker’s Allowance.

We have recently relaunched our ‘Customer Support Standards’, which sets clear expectations for all customer interactions. These standards require staff to identify and respond to customers’ individual needs and vulnerabilities, record relevant information and ensure that support is consistently and fairly applied across all contacts to improve the overall customer experience.

We also undertake regular quality assurance activity to ensure that operational teams are meeting these standards, including checks on the quality of interactions, compliance with accessibility requirements, and how effectively support is provided to customers. The standards are applied across all communications to ensure no customer is left behind.

To improve call handling, the Department is analysing telephony demand and customer contact patterns. This includes identifying the causes of repeat contact, long waiting times and call abandonment, and taking action to reduce avoidable contact through clearer information, improved signposting and better handling of customer enquiries.

In addition, we are improving how customers are directed to the most appropriate channel, including promoting online guidance where queries can be resolved more quickly, helping to free up telephony capacity for those who need it most.

For complaints, the Department operates a single, consistent complaints process across all benefits, including Jobseeker’s Allowance. We have introduced a central Complaints Hub, providing staff with a single source of guidance to ensure complaints are handled promptly, consistently and to a high standard.

Customers can raise complaints through established written routes and with their Work Coaches. Staff are supported to resolve issues at the earliest opportunity and provide clear information on how to escalate concerns where necessary.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) piloted the Department for Work and Pension's (DWP) Direct Temporary Recruitment scheme at six high‑vacancy driving examiner (DE) locations. From the pilot, DVSA made 37 job offers. Candidates are now undergoing pre-employment checks, and seven have already agreed training start dates.

DVSA is working with DWP to explore expanding it to more locations and adopting it as a regular recruitment route.

The approach has also been extended to other hard-to-fill DVSA roles, with job offers currently being made.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) piloted the Department for Work and Pension's (DWP) Direct Temporary Recruitment scheme at six high‑vacancy driving examiner (DE) locations. From the pilot, DVSA made 37 job offers. Candidates are now undergoing pre-employment checks, and seven have already agreed training start dates.

The pilot was considered successful. DVSA is working with DWP to explore expanding it to more locations and adopting it as a regular recruitment route.

Due to the success of the pilot for DE roles, the approach has also been extended to other hard-to-fill DVSA roles, with job offers currently being made.

The data relates to DWP leavers within Child Maintenance Service, Retirement Services, and Universal Credit Operations. It includes both paid and unpaid leavers and covers the period from 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2026.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has an established approach to identifying and providing an appropriate level of support to all its vulnerable customers, including those with mental health conditions. DWP recognises any “individual who is identified as having complex needs and/or requires additional support to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services” as being vulnerable. DWP uses its records to ensure that where individuals are identified as being vulnerable we take all reasonable steps to mitigate risks. This approach is adopted at all points of contact with the customer.

When DWP staff are concerned that the risk to the individual’s welfare or safety is significant and immediate they are explicitly empowered to take all steps felt necessary to address these risks.

Where the risk is not believed to be significant or immediate the established approach of working with the individual should be followed and, where necessary, contact made with relevant organisations to provide the appropriate levels of support.

The number of Disability Employment Advisers that were employed in the Department for Work and Pensions since 2009

From 2015 onwards many Disability Employment Advisors became Work Coaches as part of the new delivery model and as the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance reduced. Up to 300 more Disability Employment Advisors are currently being recruited, taking the total to over 500, to work alongside Work Coaches.

An overview of the new Work Coach externally accredited learning routeway will be made available early in 2017. There are no plans to publish existing training materials.

The number of Disability Employment Advisers employed by the Department for Work and Pensions is 263 at July 2016.

The Department for Work and Pensions supports its staff in developing the skills required to identify and effectively support claimants with mental health conditions. A number of learning products such as ‘Introduction to Working with People with a Mental Health Condition’ and ‘Supporting Customers with a Vulnerability’ have been specifically developed to build capability for Jobcentre staff. Jobcentre staff also promote “Disability Confident” which is an initiative that includes working with employers to show that employing disabled people, including those with mental health conditions, is good for the individual, business and society.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) demonstrates a duty of care throughout all its customer services and which it expects its staff to follow through instructions and learning.

The Department has an established approach to identifying and providing an appropriate level of support to all its customers who are vulnerable, including those with mental health conditions. DWP identifies any “individual who is identified as having complex needs and/or requires additional support to enable them to access DWP benefits and use our services” as being vulnerable. This definition ensures that we have consistency and continuity in the type and level of service which is being offered and that it supports the customer appropriately whatever their needs.

DWP’s approach for dealing specifically with customers experiencing mental health conditions has been developed in consultation with its Work Psychologists to ensure that staff are able to develop a thorough understanding of the various different mental health conditions which exist, including hidden impairments and how they impact on an individual. This knowledge is reflected in both DWP instructions and in its learning and development.

Where DWP staff are satisfied that a customer faces clear and significant risks to their welfare or safety, then those staff are explicitly empowered by DWP to take any reasonable steps which are felt necessary, including liaising with relevant organisations, in order to address these risks without undue delay.