Jobcentres
(asked on 2nd January 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) skills and (b) training support provided through Jobcentre Plus on claimants’ likelihood of remaining in work for more than six months.
This government recognises the importance of skills and training support given to people attending a Jobcentre, as there is well established evidence that individuals with higher levels of skills are more likely to be in employment or education (Employment by qualification level - GOV.UK Ethnicity facts and figures). This is why we are addressing claimants’ skills needs as part of the new Jobs and Careers Service.
No specific assessment has been made of the potential impact of a) skills and b) training support on likelihood of claimants remaining in work for more than six months.
However, Sector-based Academy Work Programmes (SWAPs) are the department’s leading skills intervention for unemployed claimants, combining pre-employment training support with work experience over a period up to 6 weeks long.
We recently published an Impact Assessment showing the long term impact of SWAPs on an individual’s likelihood of being in work following a SWAP. It demonstrated that SWAPs are successful in supporting participants into employment and keeping them employed longer term. Two years after starting a SWAP, for every 100 people an additional 13 individuals moved into unsubsidised employment, compared to 100 similar individuals who did not participate in one.
Sector-based Work Academy Programme: A Quantitative Impact Assessment - GOV.UK
The Department also publishes management information showing the proportion of people in work three and six months after starting a SWAP, providing further transparency on the short- and medium-term employment outcomes associated with participation in these programmes.