Prospects.ac.uk

Overview of the UK's public services sector

AuthorJemma Smith, senior editor
Posted on

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.

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.

How many people work in public services in the UK?

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 6.18 million people are employed in the UK's public sector. When broken down, this looks like:

  • 4.5 million in central government
  • 2.7 million in the National Health Service (NHS)
  • 1.97 million in local government
  • 554,000 in the Civil Service
  • 161,000 in public corporations.

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:

Opportunities in administration can be categorised into:

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 sector and administration jobs.

Who are the main public sector employers?

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

The Civil 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. High Fliers' The Graduate Market in 2025 reports a median starting salary of £31,000 in the public sector for those employed by one of The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, while the Institute for Fiscal Studies states that the average public sector pay is £34,500 a year.

For average salaries within the Civil Service, see Civil Service grades and salaries.

In 2023 the public services sector in the UK saw huge strike action, which included 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.

In 2026 the debate about public sector pay is still ongoing, particularly in education and the NHS. The Met Police and local council workers planning strike action over pay.

What are the key issues in the public sector?

A recent YouGov survey discovered that in 2026 the British public believe that the governments biggest priority should be:

  • tackling immigration
  • cost of living crisis
  • the economy
  • the NHS
  • climate change.

But one of the sectors biggest challenges is gaining and keeping public trust in its services.

The State of the State 2025 report, a collaboration between professional services firm Deloitte and British think tank Reform, tests the public mood on government and public services. It found that after years of growing pessimism towards government and public services there has been a slight adjustment in public attitude, with trust in the government increasing since the last year.

Other key challenges facing the public sector include:

  • Increased demand for services and the growing complexity of public need puts a strain on already overstretched services
  • Tight budgets and a lack of funding
  • Staff shortages, skills gaps and an ageing workforce.

Find out more