Ministers are encouraging UK businesses to work with Jobcentres to fill the thousands of jobs currently vacant as the UK goes for growth, the Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall set out today (30 January).
- Following the Chancellor's growth speech yesterday, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall visited fast growing UK retailer B&M - who successfully filled almost 3,000 vacancies using local jobcentres in 2024.
- The Work and Pensions Secretary has today set out overhaul the DWP's approach to supporting employers to Get Britain Working again as part of Plan for Change.
- Comes as just one in six businesses has ever used a Jobcentre to recruit with the latest data showing tens of thousands of vacancies in key sectors.
- New DWP team have built partnerships with 37 new industry leaders in just a few week as department transforms Jobcentres.
It comes as the Work & Pensions Secretary visits B&M - a retailer that has had huge success using the Jobcentre network. As a fast growing UK retailer, B&M has filled almost 3,000 vacancies through the jobcentre network, with over 85% of new recruits coming directly through the DWP - benefiting jobseekers and the businesses' growth.
The DWP has hit the ground running to reset engagement with employers through new teams to support employers, with dedicated account managers and a focus on growing the number of Jobcentre training programmes tailored to employer's needs.
As B&M has opened new stores across the country, it has teamed up with the local DWP team to run information sessions - offering interested candidates a guaranteed interview.
Over 73,000 jobs have been added to the labour market since the start of this Parliament according to the ONS, with new announcements in the Chancellor's speech yesterday expected to add thousands more roles to the UK jobs market - including over 100,000 jobs in the local area around Heathrow.
However, new figures show only 1 in 6 employers surveyed reported using the JobCentre Plus network to hire for their business - highlighting the need for genuine reform.
That's why as part of the Get Britain Working plan, the government will reform jobcentres by bringing it together with the National Careers Service to ensure people have better access to training and address local skills gaps and help train the workforce businesses need.
The reforms to get Britain working and modernise the employment support offer are just one part of the Government's Plan for Change, which will lay strong foundations to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity across the country.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:
To get Britain growing again, we need to get Britain working again.
As the HR department for the Government's growth mission, our job is to work with businesses to meet their recruitment needs.
To help employers grow, hire new staff, and boost opportunity in every corner of the country, we are determined to change our approach
As part of reforming Jobcentres we will overhaul our service to better meet employer's needs - turning the DWP into a genuine public employment service. So businesses can fill jobs and people can build a better life for themselves and their families.
A B&M spokesperson said:
There is a wealth of talent and experience in Jobcentres across the UK. We encourage other businesses to
