14 November 2025
UK Government commits to professionalism of careers advisers in new Jobs and Careers Service
The UK Government has published its response to the report by the Work and Pensions Committee on the Jobs and Careers Service. Most recommendations have been accepted, with very positive statements of intent, particularly in relation to addressing issues with the current incentivised model of delivery, and recognising the need to maintain professional standards for careers advisers.
The response works through the six recommendations from the Committee, starting the with recommendation for the DWP and DfE to create a career guidance strategy for adults.
Recommendation 1: An adult careers guidance strategy
The Government hasn’t accepted the recommendation, saying that the creation of a joined-up Jobs and Careers Service means a careers-only strategy could cause fragmentation. There is some logic to this, but there are two areas where a lack of a strategy leaves gaps.
First, a strategic approach should look at the wider opportunities beyond current delivery, setting out a genuine vision for careers services for adults. It includes the extent to which the service will go beyond helping people into work, to help them gain better work and achieve longer-term careers success which affects wellbeing and life satisfaction. It’s about the role of careers in employment, skills, health and social mobility programmes.
For example, embedding careers support in the Lifelong Learning Entitlement could make those on low or insecure pay more confident taking on additional learning, then make the most of it once completed.
A careers strategy is also important to define the links between careers guidance for young people and adults. The idea of an all-age careers service has now gone, as this government aims for an all-age careers system, split across DfE and DWP. A clear and aligned strategy across the two parts can ensure a complete service that supports young people as they transition away from education.
The response does refer to the need to ensure ‘a coherent approach to adult careers guidance’ and to deliver ‘a new single and universal service’ for adults. It makes sense for careers to be an integrated part of the service, but another level of detail of the vision for the Jobs and Careers Service could be very helpful, and how it will align with careers in education.
Recommendation 2: Review the funding and funding model for careers advice
The good news is that Government has accepted this recommendation and acknowledges the need to address funding issues. The response doesn’t actually make any commitment to increase funding, instead focusing on maximising flexibility, improving operational practices, delivering higher impact and improving value for money. This statement suggests a focus on using funds better rather than increasing them.
Given that the funding for the National Careers Service has been considered very restricted, (for example, some providers use more level 4 advice and guidance staff rather than qualified careers advisers due to an inability to fund salaries to attract the latter), it will be interesting to see what can be reinvested.
It does promise the end of the disliked ‘incentivised’ model, to be replaced by robust performance measures reflecting the outcomes in the Get Britain Working paper. How much of an improvement we will see in the funding arrangements will depend on the detail of the measures.
Recommendation 3: Protect the distinct role and skills of careers advisers
Crucially, the Government has accepted this recommendation and has committed to ‘retain the qualifications standards currently delivered within the National Careers Service and will align with professionally recognised standards’. This ensures that clients will be supported by people qualified to offer information and advice (at level 4) or guidance (at level 6/7). The response also refers to ongoing professional development and up-to-date practice for careers advisers.
This is very welcome, as is the plan to look at the training pathway for careers advisers to complement the Coaching Academy for work coaches. One of the challenges with the NCS delivery moving into the DWP is that the NCS careers providers have carried out a lot of the training of new entrants to career development over recent years, and DWP will need to take on that role if we are to avoid exacerbating the workforce crisis in the profession.
However, one of the challenges that has faced the NCS has been the need to rely on level 4 qualified staff, as funding hasn’t enabled them to offer salaries that attract qualified careers advisers (at level 6/7). This has left the service weighted towards information and advice rather than guidance. It would be good to see more commitment from the Government to rebalance this towards those qualified to offer careers guidance, which requires better pay to attract new starters as well as the commitment to support people to train to become qualified.
Recommendation 4: Provide details of how the service will be measured
While only partially accepted, the Government has committed to developing and sharing an evaluation strategy with specific outcome measures for careers advice based on the Getting Britain Working outcomes. The recommendation specifically calls for measures that encourage ‘longer-term, personalised support’.
Recommendation 5: Accountability and eligibility arrangements, as well as working with careers services in Scotland and Wales
This recommendation was accepted. The split of services between DfE and DWP was restated along with a commitment to maintain alignment between them. It also states they will develop the service in partnership with devolved governments and learn from their services. Given Scotland and Wales are generally considered to have more comprehensive adult careers support, this shared learning could be positive.
The response could also be read to suggest greater working with more local government as responsibility is devolved, referring to a service that is ‘locally tailored and embedded’.
In terms of eligibility, the response states that pretty much all adults will be able to access the service, not just those looking for work. However, it says that for most of those not claiming benefits they will be ‘best served digitally through a self-service option’. While other channels will be available and digital services can increase reach, the fact that the new service will have ‘a more targeted approach, with additional in-depth support to be provided to those customers who face significant barriers to making progress into work or learning’ suggests that we won’t be seeing much focus on in-person careers support for those in work and not on benefits.
Recommendation 6: Provide certainty to NCS staff and contractors
It’s no surprise that this has been accepted. With the announcement to insource NCS to DWP after the report was published, this is a key step to the integration of the service and individuals working within it. The Government is working with careers providers and has committed to a detailed plan within six months.
Summary
It is encouraging that the Government recognises some of the current issues with adult careers support – in particular the funding arrangements that limit the offer of support to those needing extended help. It is also positive that they have committed to maintaining the professionally recognised standards for careers advisers, though we would welcome a commitment to increase the proportion of the careers workforce offering guidance at level 6 or level 7 qualifications as well as level 4 information and advice roles.
While we continue to call for an overarching careers strategy, to look beyond current models of delivery to maximise the impact of careers support for young people and adults, it hasn’t been a surprise that this recommendation isn’t being taken forward. With Get Britain Working and the focus on developing the Jobs and Careers Service, the DWP are likely to share more through its vision for the service and as design and implementation progresses.
Read the Government’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee report on the Jobs and Careers Service.
The response works through the six recommendations from the Committee, starting the with recommendation for the DWP and DfE to create a career guidance strategy for adults.
Recommendation 1: An adult careers guidance strategy
The Government hasn’t accepted the recommendation, saying that the creation of a joined-up Jobs and Careers Service means a careers-only strategy could cause fragmentation. There is some logic to this, but there are two areas where a lack of a strategy leaves gaps.
First, a strategic approach should look at the wider opportunities beyond current delivery, setting out a genuine vision for careers services for adults. It includes the extent to which the service will go beyond helping people into work, to help them gain better work and achieve longer-term careers success which affects wellbeing and life satisfaction. It’s about the role of careers in employment, skills, health and social mobility programmes.
For example, embedding careers support in the Lifelong Learning Entitlement could make those on low or insecure pay more confident taking on additional learning, then make the most of it once completed.
A careers strategy is also important to define the links between careers guidance for young people and adults. The idea of an all-age careers service has now gone, as this government aims for an all-age careers system, split across DfE and DWP. A clear and aligned strategy across the two parts can ensure a complete service that supports young people as they transition away from education.
The response does refer to the need to ensure ‘a coherent approach to adult careers guidance’ and to deliver ‘a new single and universal service’ for adults. It makes sense for careers to be an integrated part of the service, but another level of detail of the vision for the Jobs and Careers Service could be very helpful, and how it will align with careers in education.
Recommendation 2: Review the funding and funding model for careers advice
The good news is that Government has accepted this recommendation and acknowledges the need to address funding issues. The response doesn’t actually make any commitment to increase funding, instead focusing on maximising flexibility, improving operational practices, delivering higher impact and improving value for money. This statement suggests a focus on using funds better rather than increasing them.
Given that the funding for the National Careers Service has been considered very restricted, (for example, some providers use more level 4 advice and guidance staff rather than qualified careers advisers due to an inability to fund salaries to attract the latter), it will be interesting to see what can be reinvested.
It does promise the end of the disliked ‘incentivised’ model, to be replaced by robust performance measures reflecting the outcomes in the Get Britain Working paper. How much of an improvement we will see in the funding arrangements will depend on the detail of the measures.
Recommendation 3: Protect the distinct role and skills of careers advisers
Crucially, the Government has accepted this recommendation and has committed to ‘retain the qualifications standards currently delivered within the National Careers Service and will align with professionally recognised standards’. This ensures that clients will be supported by people qualified to offer information and advice (at level 4) or guidance (at level 6/7). The response also refers to ongoing professional development and up-to-date practice for careers advisers.
This is very welcome, as is the plan to look at the training pathway for careers advisers to complement the Coaching Academy for work coaches. One of the challenges with the NCS delivery moving into the DWP is that the NCS careers providers have carried out a lot of the training of new entrants to career development over recent years, and DWP will need to take on that role if we are to avoid exacerbating the workforce crisis in the profession.
However, one of the challenges that has faced the NCS has been the need to rely on level 4 qualified staff, as funding hasn’t enabled them to offer salaries that attract qualified careers advisers (at level 6/7). This has left the service weighted towards information and advice rather than guidance. It would be good to see more commitment from the Government to rebalance this towards those qualified to offer careers guidance, which requires better pay to attract new starters as well as the commitment to support people to train to become qualified.
Recommendation 4: Provide details of how the service will be measured
While only partially accepted, the Government has committed to developing and sharing an evaluation strategy with specific outcome measures for careers advice based on the Getting Britain Working outcomes. The recommendation specifically calls for measures that encourage ‘longer-term, personalised support’.
Recommendation 5: Accountability and eligibility arrangements, as well as working with careers services in Scotland and Wales
This recommendation was accepted. The split of services between DfE and DWP was restated along with a commitment to maintain alignment between them. It also states they will develop the service in partnership with devolved governments and learn from their services. Given Scotland and Wales are generally considered to have more comprehensive adult careers support, this shared learning could be positive.
The response could also be read to suggest greater working with more local government as responsibility is devolved, referring to a service that is ‘locally tailored and embedded’.
In terms of eligibility, the response states that pretty much all adults will be able to access the service, not just those looking for work. However, it says that for most of those not claiming benefits they will be ‘best served digitally through a self-service option’. While other channels will be available and digital services can increase reach, the fact that the new service will have ‘a more targeted approach, with additional in-depth support to be provided to those customers who face significant barriers to making progress into work or learning’ suggests that we won’t be seeing much focus on in-person careers support for those in work and not on benefits.
Recommendation 6: Provide certainty to NCS staff and contractors
It’s no surprise that this has been accepted. With the announcement to insource NCS to DWP after the report was published, this is a key step to the integration of the service and individuals working within it. The Government is working with careers providers and has committed to a detailed plan within six months.
Summary
It is encouraging that the Government recognises some of the current issues with adult careers support – in particular the funding arrangements that limit the offer of support to those needing extended help. It is also positive that they have committed to maintaining the professionally recognised standards for careers advisers, though we would welcome a commitment to increase the proportion of the careers workforce offering guidance at level 6 or level 7 qualifications as well as level 4 information and advice roles.
While we continue to call for an overarching careers strategy, to look beyond current models of delivery to maximise the impact of careers support for young people and adults, it hasn’t been a surprise that this recommendation isn’t being taken forward. With Get Britain Working and the focus on developing the Jobs and Careers Service, the DWP are likely to share more through its vision for the service and as design and implementation progresses.
Read the Government’s response to the Work and Pensions Committee report on the Jobs and Careers Service.
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