DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) – which offer training, work experience and a job interview to DWP customers seeking work – help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies. Jobcentres work with local employers and training providers to establish SWAPs in a wide range of sectors including logistics, automotive, retail and health.

As evidenced by the SWAP Impact Assessment (Sector-based Work Academy Programme: A Quantitative Impact Assessment - GOV.UK), SWAPs have been proven to increase the time participants spend in employment. The positive impact of SWAPs on employment outcomes is consistent across all regions including West Midlands.

From April 2026, the Youth Guarantee will increase the number of SWAPs available so that more jobseekers, particularly young people, can take advantage of the employment support offered.

We publish data on SWAP starts and outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes the number of starts broken down by Local Authority, by Region and by Sector. Outcomes data was published for the first time this year and shows the proportion of SWAP starts with earnings at 6 and 9 months, by month of start, and the average monthly earnings at 6 and 9 months for those with earnings in that period, by month of start. The latest publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academy-programmes-swaps-management-information-april-2021-to-september-2025. The next release is due to be published in January 2026.

Sector-based work academies were launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on sector-based work academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017

The scheme was relaunched as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) in July 2020 as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs. Due to data limitations, we are unable to provide a geographical breakdown for SWAPs that took place before the start of the 2021/22 financial year.

Data for the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 to date shows that, as of 28 January 2024, there were a total of 266,330 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme. The breakdowns of these starts are provided in the attached tables. Final start figures for 2023/24 will be available early next financial year.

Notes on the data:

Attached are tables listing the number of SWAP starts to date by Country, Region, Local Authority, Sector and Age band. The figures used are correct as of 28 January 2024 and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.

These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

It is important to note that the information provided shows the current home location of the person who has started a SWAP. For starts by those in receipt of JSA, ESA or IS, due to data limitations a location cannot be assigned to these starts and as such they are categorised as unknown within the figures. SWAPs are run in England and Scotland, where a person’s current home location is outside of this they have also been categorised as unknown.

Although care is taken when processing and recording SWAP starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any clerical recording system, but is provided in the interests of transparency.

Sector-based work academies were first launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on sector-based work academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017

The scheme was relaunched as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) in July 2020 as part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs. Due to data limitations, we are unable to provide a geographical breakdown for SWAPs that took place before the start of the 2021/22 financial year.

Data for the financial years 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 shows that, as of 27^th October 2023, there were a total of 245,300 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme. The breakdowns of these starts are provided in the attached tables.

Notes on the data:

Attached are tables listing the number of SWAP starts to date by Country, Region, Local Authority, Parliamentary Constituency, Sector and Age band. The figures used are correct as of 27^th October 2023 and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.

These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

It is important to note that the information provided shows the current home location of the person who has started a SWAP. For starts by those in receipt of JSA, ESA or IS, due to data limitations a location cannot be assigned to these starts and as such they are categorised as unknown within the figures. SWAPs are run in England and Scotland, where a person’s current home location is outside of this they have also been categorised as unknown.

Although care is taken when processing and recording SWAP starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any clerical recording system, but is provided in the interests of transparency.

Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) are set up in response to local job vacancies and labour-market demand. As such, SWAPs are generally marketed to employers through the Jobcentre Plus network. DWP’s National Employer and Partnership Team also regularly runs employer campaigns focused on different sectors to publicise SWAPs and the other support available to companies looking to recruit.

DWP also works directly with sector stakeholders to develop SWAP opportunities, such as the pilot launched in September, developed alongside UK Hospitality, to help potential employees gain a Hospitality Skills Passport. More widely, there is a guide to SWAPs on GOV.UK for employers, at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academies-employer-guide.

Sector-based work academies were first launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on sector-based work academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017

The scheme was relaunched as ‘SWAP’ in July 2020 as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. Due to data limitations, we are unable to provide a geographical breakdown for SWAPs that took place before the start of the 2021/22 financial year.

Data for the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23 shows that as of 12^th March 2023, there was a total of 179,000 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). The breakdown of these starts by the regions specified and by financial year is displayed in the following table:

Table 1: SWAP starts

Notes on the data:

Attached are tables listing the number of SWAP starts to date by Country, Region, Local Authority and Parliamentary Constituency. The figures used are correct as of 12^th March 2023 and these figures have been rounded according to departmental standards.

These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

It is important to note that the information provided shows the current home location of the person who has started a SWAP. For starts by those in receipt of JSA, ESA or IS, due to data limitations a location cannot be assigned to these starts and as such they are categorised as unknown within the figures. SWAPs are run in England and Scotland, where a person’s current home location is outside of this they have also been categorised as unknown.

Although care is taken when processing and recording SWAP starts, the data collected might be subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any clerical recording system, but is provided in the interests of transparency.

Spend was not separated from the wider Jobcentre support offer and is not available for the years 2017-21

For the financial year 2021/22, the spend was separately identified for part of the year and totalled £8.0m based on internal Activity Based Management (ABM) data.

Sector-Based Work Academies were first launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on Sector-Based Work Academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here.

The scheme was relaunched as the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) in July 2020 as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. Data for the financial years 2020/21 and 2021/22 shows that as of 27^th March 2022, there was a total of 149,980 starts to a SWAP. The breakdown of these starts by financial year is displayed in the following table:

Table 1: SWAP starts

Note on above: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; components may not sum due to rounding. These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

Sector-based Work Academies were first launched in August 2011 in England and January 2012 in Scotland. Regular statistical releases on sector-based work academies, covering participation by those on legacy unemployment benefits, began in 2011 and ended in 2017. These statistics can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017

The scheme was relaunched as ‘SWAP’ in July 2020 as part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. Data for the financial years 2020/21 and 2021/22 shows that as of 13^th March 2022, there was a total of 146,480 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). The breakdown of these starts by nation and region is displayed in the following tables:

Table 1: SWAP starts by nation

Table 2: SWAP starts by region

Note on above: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; components may not sum due to rounding. These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

Data for the financial year 2020 – 21 shows that there were a total of 64,500 starts to a Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP). The breakdown of these starts by nation and region is displayed in the following tables:

Table 1: SWAP starts by nation

Table 2: SWAP starts by region

Note on above: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; components may not sum due to rounding. These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS). We do not hold data on the number of participants who have started a job as a result of starting a SWAP.

The data available shows cumulative starts to the programme for the current financial year. Data collection began in June 2020, with staff retrospectively reporting starts from April to June 2020 to provide a full picture of the financial year.

Data up to 6^th December 2020 shows that there have been a total of 44,130 starts to a Sector-based work academy programme (SWAP). The breakdown of these starts by nation and region is displayed in the following tables:

Table 1: SWAP starts by nation

Table 2: SWAP starts by region

Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Components may not sum due to rounding.

We do not hold data on Sector-based work academy programme starts by month, or by sector.

These figures reflect the number of starts by claimants in receipt of Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Income Support (IS).

Official Statistics for the period August 2011 (scheme launch) to November 2017 were published in July 2018. These show there were 330,090 starts to sector-based work academy training. This data covers legacy benefit claimants only.

Data for claimants using the current Universal Credit Full Service is not available for this time period.

Further statistics can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/employment-schemes-work-experience-sector-based-work-academy-and-skills-conditionality-starts-to-november-2017

The information requested is not available.

Official statistics record starts to sector-based work academy pre-employment training only. The Department does not collate information on outcomes, nor the number of benefit claimants finding work through a sector-based work academy placement.

The available information as requested is shown in the table below.

Number of individuals with a Jobseeker’s Allowance sanction applied for failing to participate in Sector-Based Work Academy Placements, in each month: Great Britain, August 2011 to March 2014.

Source: DWP Sanctions and Disallowance Decisions Statistics Database.

Notes:

1. Statistical disclosure control has been applied to this table to avoid the release of confidential data.

2. Information for this sanction reason is only available from August 2011 and the latest data available is up to 31 March 2014.

3. The table above shows the number of adverse sanction decisions made for the referral reason: Refusal or failure to comply with a sector-based work academy placement without good reason (SBWAP).

4. An adverse decision is a decision to apply a sanction i.e. a decision found against the claimant so a sanction is applied.

5. Sector based work academies are made up of three components: pre-employment training; a work experience placement; and a guaranteed job interview. Claimants voluntarily choose to participate. Once they start a placement, jobseekers are required to complete the pre-employment training and guaranteed job interview.

6. In Feb 2012 the DWP announced that Sanctions will no longer be applied to the benefits of those who do not start or who leave the work experience component of a sector based work academy.

Sector-based work academies (SBWA) were introduced in England from August 2011 and in Scotland from January 2012 as part of the Get Britain Working measures. In Scotland, some testing took place prior to the official launch date for which the figures are included.

The number of work experience placement starts under SBWA in Scotland, between August 2011 and November 2012, the latest available figures, are presented in the following table.

Data on the number of working days worked are unavailable due to unreliable data recording.