Jobseekers and employers are being failed by Jobcentre employment services, which display a lack of care and support, think tank says.

A new report from IPPR has found that Jobcentre employment services take a ‘quantity over quality’ approach which means employers are bombarded with inappropriate applications, wasting time and resources.

The report also said that people with good qualifications and work experience are forced to apply for ‘any job’ rather than matching people with suitable positions.

The use of sanctions also doesn’t work for jobseekers, according to IPPR. It fails to recognise that many people want to work but face barriers, like limited access to childcare, low confidence, high travel costs or living with a health condition.

Melanie Wilkes, associate director for work and the welfare state at IPPR, said: ‘Employment support services provide support in name only, but they simply aren’t working. They are failing both businesses and jobseekers. The Jobcentres’ approach of relying on sanctions to push people into jobs reinforces insecure, poor quality work and is simply a waste of everyone’s time.

‘We need a new universal public employment service to help people get into, and progress in. meaningful employment.’

Responding to IPPR’s report, a Government spokesperson said: ‘Tailored, flexible advice and support is available from Jobcentre Plus as part of our core offer and falling levels of inactivity, down more than 300,000 since the pandemic peak, show our plan is working.

‘We are investing an additional £3.5bn over the next five years to deliver tailored employment support for jobseekers, focusing on what people can do, rather than what they can’t.

‘With our expansion of free childcare, one-to-one work coach support, and new Universal Support programme, we are also helping millions of parents, older workers and the long-term sick return to the workforce.’