Nearly half of hirers have the most trust in private recruitment agencies

A new survey has delved into how employers feel about public and private job-finding services.

Over 200 employers of different sizes across the UK were asked which public and private job finding services they trust the most to find the right candidate for them.

Commissioned by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and conducted by Whitestone Insight in May 2025, the results show that the majority of employers (42%) have the most trust in a private recruitment company.

This was followed by in-house personnel (26%) – but just 8% said they trust Jobcentre Plus, and 5% a local college or training provider.

These findings come as the government begins its reform of publicly funded job-finding schemes. Plans are to take the outdated Jobcentre system and transform it into a new national jobs and careers service, which will focus on people’s skills and careers instead of simply monitoring and managing benefit claims.

REC Deputy Chief Executive Kate Shoesmith, said, “It is encouraging that the government accepts the one-size-fits-all approach by Jobcentres is outdated. It is now time to bring local leaders and recruiters in from the cold to get this new approach to work.

“Our survey shows that recruiters are a huge help for employers to attract and retain talent and stay ahead of broader and ever-changing trends, in a labour market beset with labour and skills shortages.

“The government must use recruiters’ insights and expertise in its reforms of Jobcentre Plus to build bridges between jobseekers and employers. We know how well Jobcentre Plus works when linked with private labour market experts. Just look at the success of our Restart Scheme with Maximus, which has achieved 3,000 job placements since 2022 through collaboration between employers, recruiters, and public agencies.”

To find out more about contracting, please contact Jaime on 01442 795 100 or email jaime.thorpe@dolanaccountancy.com.