Listen to this story Members can listen to an AI-generated audio version of this article. 1.0x Audio narration uses an AI-generated voice. 0:00 0:00 Become a member to listen to this article Subscribe About 800 careers advice staff have moved to work in-house at the Department for Work and Pensions following 14 years of outsourcing. From 1 October, about 500 qualified careers advisors and a further 300 back-office staff transferred into the DWP following the government’s decision not to renew National Careers Service (NCS) contracts from 30 September. According to the DWP, adults seeking careers advice will now access support through jobcentres rather than NCS providers, creating a more “joined up” service. Since the contracts were launched in 2012, more than 50 organisations with NCS contracts delivered careers advice to about 300,000 customers per year at an annual cost of up to £55 million per year. A DWP spokesperson told FE Week that it plans to continue serving about 300,000 customers per year to help “everyone” seeking careers advice, either on the telephone or face-to-face in jobcentres. Last year, an estimated 1,000 staff worked for NCS contractors. The DWP said it offered roles to about 800 through the service transfer process. DWP minister for employment Andrew Western, said: “Everyone deserves the chance to find secure, meaningful work and build a career – and we are delivering a modern employment service to make that a reality. “Bringing careers advice under the same roof as the jobcentre will join up fragmented services and enable thousands of people to access joined-up careers advice and employment support. “This builds on the wider employment support we are already providing young people as well as disabled people and those with long-term health conditions to ensure everyone has the chance to get on life.” Last-minute transfer concerns MPs have repeatedly raised concerns about an “information void” around the how many of the estimated 1,000 NCS staff would move into the DWP. In correspondence published by the work and pensions committee in September, chair Debbie Abrahams said she was concerned that the department “only” started its formal staff transfer consultation period in August – leaving “many staff” in a state of uncertainty about what roles they would move to last week. She also cited “deep uncertainty” at the future of community-based organisations about to lose a key source of income. The DWP said moving NCS staff in-house is part of its development of a new “jobs and careers service”, although jobcentres will continue to be known as Jobcentre Plus. Last month, the government announced a new “insourcing unit” that will identify outsourced services that could be delivered more effectively under direct public control, such as security and cleaning. The Cabinet Office also issued guidance on insourcing and the public interest test in June, which asks decision makers to “holistically assess long-term value for money, service quality, and broader economic and social goals” when making sourcing decisions.
Michelle Stewart 9 October 2026 Aside from the fact that the required level of qualification held by careers advisers in the new service is not provided, a key unknown is the impact of a significant loss of NCS funding on many of the large careers companies. Inadvertently this loss of funding combined with the transfer of so many qualified careers advisers could further limit the access young people under the age of 18 – and in education or training – have to a qualified careers advisers. Access to qualified careers advisers is essential to enabling schools and colleges fully meet Gatsby Bench Mark 8; a statutory requirement. Neither the recent partnership between the CEC and DWP to bring DWP Schools Advisers and Career Hubs closer together, nor the DfE funded Careers Professional CPD programme addresses this issue of access to an appropriately trained careers adviser. ‘Every young person should be able to access the right support to take their next step into education, training or work’ – yet sadly until government initiatives reflect joined-up government policy, the key word is ‘should’.
Ian Williams 12 October 2026 So anyone who wants careers advice now has to go to the Jobcentre even if they are not signing on at the Jobcentre employed or unemployed. What a ridiculously stupid idea.
Jacob 26 October 2026 I think it sounds great but worthwhile keeping an eye on the situation. Jobcentre Plus will need to be agile and with support and solutions under one roof…this could help a lot of people. JCP could be a community hub, cutting red tape.