Overview of the UK's public services sector

The UK's public sector is home to range of services and government funded organisations. Learn more about the areas in which you can work, potential employers and what to expect from the industry

What is the public sector?

The public sector encompasses government-run organisations with a primary purpose of providing a service. It is responsible for providing all public services in the UK, including:

• education
• emergency services
• healthcare
• housing
• refuse collection
• security
• social care
• tax collection.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 6.12 million people are employed in the UK's public sector - accounting for around 18% of all those in paid work. Central government employ an estimated 3.97 million, the NHS 2.04 million and local government 1.99 million.

What's the difference between the public and private sectors?

Simply put, public sector organisations are owned and controlled by the government and are therefore subject to government funding. Private sector businesses are owned and managed by individuals or privately owned firms.

What areas of the public sector can I work in?

Opportunities in public services can be broadly categorised into the two main areas of central and local government.

These aren't your only options, as you can find work with several other public service agencies and non-departmental public bodies, but they tend to cross over with other sectors.

You can choose to work in:

• Healthcare - as a paramedic, administrator or health service manager you'll typically be employed by the National Health Service (NHS), the sector's biggest recruiter with 2 million employees. Explore public health careers.
• Law enforcement and security - either in the armed forces, fire service or the police.
• Social careÌý-Ìýsocial workers, carers and probation officers provide an invaluable public service. Read more about graduate jobs in social care.
• Teacher training and education - as a primary,ÌýsecondaryÌý´Ç°ùÌýhigher education teacher. Discover the various routes into teaching.

Opportunities in administration can be categorised into general, specialist (for example, legal, educational, agricultural and medical) and professional (such as personal assistantÌý´Ç°ùÌýcompany secretary). Every sector needs administration staff, so you'll be able to find work in a range of settings.

For examples of job roles, see public sectorÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýadministration jobs.

Who are the main public sector employers?

There are two key employers in the public services: the Civil Service and local government.

°Õ³ó±ðÌýCivil Service departments, agencies or public bodies you could work for include:

• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
• Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ)
• Government Economic Service (GES)
• Government Legal Profession (GLP)
• Government Operational Research Service (GORS)
• Government Statistical Service (GSS)
• HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
• HM Treasury
• National Crime Agency (NCA)
• Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), MI6
• Security Service, MI5.

In local government, roles can be found in areas including:

• architecture, heritage and housing
• environmental health
• media and communications
• social services
• surveying and town planning
• Trading Standards
• youth and community work.

Other notable employers in the public services include:

• the armed forces
• Bank of England (BoE)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
• National Audit Office (NAO)
• National Highways
• National Probation Service (NPS)
• Network Rail
• NHS
• ONS
• Ordnance Survey
• The British Museum.

What's it like working in public services?

You can expect:

• jobs to be available throughout the UK
• good working conditions
• some roles to be stressful - you'll work to tight deadlines and have a high degree of responsibility
• some jobs to have strict nationality entry requirements
• plenty of opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD)
• to be able to travel as part of your job, both locally and nationally, while some posts will offer the chance to work abroad.

To find out more about typical salaries and working conditions in your chosen career, browse our public services and administration job profiles.

How much do public sector workers get paid in the UK?

What you earn largely depends on:

• your role
• your level of seniority
• your location.

Estimates of average salaries vary according to the source. While High Fliers' The Graduate Market in 2024 reports a median starting salary of £25,500 in the public sector for those employed by one of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, the Institute for Fiscal Studies states that the average public sector pay is £34,500 a year.

The Institute for Government states that the median salary for civil servants is £33,980.

Following on from strike action in 2023, which saw nurses, paramedics, junior doctors, consultants, radiographers, dentists, airport staff, rail and London Underground workers, teachers and university staff all walk out in disputes about pay and working conditions, the then Conservative government announced it would increase pay between 5% and 7% in 2023/24.

The debate about public sector pay still rages. After the now Labour government recommended a 2.8% pay rise for public sector workers in 2025/26 unions have hinted at further strike action saying the proposed increase is too low.

What are the key issues in the public sector?

An Ipsos study, conducted between April-May 2024 prior to the appointment of a Labour government in July, revealed the publics dissatisfaction with public services in the UK.

The survey found that three in four people (76%) thought that public services have gotten worse in the last five years. It also discovered that:

• On average Britons were only satisfied with four or five public services out of the 19 asked about in the survey. They were dissatisfied with seven services on average.
• Road maintenance and repairs scored the lowest (81% dissatisfied).
• Satisfaction with local councils also dropped from 40% in 2021 to 21% in 2024.
• Some of the biggest satisfaction drops from 2021 include NHS hospitals and GPs.

The majority of respondents described public services as 'under funded' and there was widespread pessimism about the future of public services. Only one in seven (16%) believed they would improve over the next five years. However, the younger generation were more optimistic - over half (57%) believed they would see an improvement within a decade.

The State of the State 2024, a collaboration between professional services firm Deloitte and British think tank Reform, tests the public mood on government and public services. It discovered that in 2024 the public sector is struggling with the impact of previous challenges such as austerity, COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis, as well as reduced spending power and increases in demand.

The report found that immigration, the country's infrastructure and NHS waiting lists are growing public concerns, while the cost of living crisis remains the top issue.

People's top priorities for the improvement of public services were based around speed of access and accountability.

Find out more

• Search graduate jobs in public services and administration.
• Explore how to get a graduate job in public services.
• Discover the skills you'll need for a successful public services career.