jobfacts

Public services associate professionals

SOC 2020 3560

Public services associate professionals supervise, manage and undertake general administrative work in national and local government departments, organise the activities of local offices of national government departments, and promote the image and understanding of an organisation and its products and services to consumers and other specified audiences.

Also calledPatient advice and liaison service officerRecycling engagement officerRecycling officerRecycling support officerPresenting officerControllerand 126 more titles
Typical full-time pay£39,5002025 Provisional
People in the job128,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month1,100↑ 2.4%on last year · 175th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time public services associate professionals earn between £34,500 and £46,800 a year.

What full-time public services associate professionals earn, 2025
£39,500 typical£29,100lowest 10%£34,50025%£48,400top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£34,500–£46,800)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£29,100
Lowest 20% earn less than£32,900
25%£34,500
Median£39,500
75%£46,800
Top 20% earn more than£48,400
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £39,500
South West£42,200
London£41,600
Wales!£40,200
South East!£39,400
North West£39,000
Yorkshire and The Humber!£38,800
Scotland!£37,300
West Midlands!£37,200
North East!£37,000
East Midlands!£36,200
East of England!£34,900
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £39,500
South West£42,200
London£41,600
Wales£40,200 (small sample)
South East£39,400 (small sample)
North West£39,000
Yorkshire and The Humber£38,800 (small sample)
Scotland£37,300 (small sample)
West Midlands£37,200 (small sample)
North East£37,000 (small sample)
East Midlands£36,200 (small sample)
East of England£34,900 (small sample)
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £38,500
  • 2024 £39,400
  • 2025 Provisional£39,500
↑ 2.7% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 1,100 jobs for public services associate professionals are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20261,177
Jul 20261,254
Jun 20261,282
May 20261,210
Apr 20261,130
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20261,067
Jan 20261,193
Dec 2025552
Nov 20251,121
Oct 20251,168
Sept 20251,098
Aug 20251,037
Jul 20251,266
Jun 20251,167
May 20251,243
Apr 20251,115
Mar 20251,184
Feb 20251,138
Jan 20251,047
Dec 2024734
Nov 2024993
Oct 20241,174
Sept 20241,050
Aug 20241,154
Jul 20241,199
Jun 20241,249
May 20241,334
Apr 20241,193
Mar 20241,144
Feb 20241,240
Jan 20241,391
Dec 20231,007
Nov 20231,153
Oct 20231,213
Sept 20231,026
Aug 20231,253
Jul 20231,323
Jun 20231,882
May 20232,289
Apr 20231,380
Mar 20231,625
Feb 20231,661
Jan 20231,868
Dec 20221,545
Nov 20221,882
Oct 20221,877
Sept 20221,897
Aug 20222,050
Jul 20222,135
Jun 20222,019
May 20222,339
Apr 20221,748
Mar 20222,315
Feb 20222,015
Jan 20222,362
Dec 20211,775
Nov 20211,857
Oct 20211,842
Sept 20211,766
Aug 20211,687
Jul 20211,802
Jun 20211,626
May 20211,665
Apr 20211,298
Mar 20211,746
Feb 20211,119
Jan 20211,302
Dec 20201,073
Nov 20201,234
Oct 20201,277
Sept 20201,140
Aug 20201,018
Jul 2020990
Jun 2020849
May 2020747
Apr 2020916
Mar 20201,437
Feb 20201,655
Jan 20201,655
Dec 20191,320
Nov 20191,623
Oct 20191,732
Sept 20191,400
Aug 20191,494
Jul 20191,895
Jun 20191,672
May 20191,652
Apr 20191,221
Mar 20191,284
Feb 20191,322
Jan 20191,348
Dec 2018845
Nov 20181,285
Oct 20181,360
Sept 20181,258
Aug 20181,158
Jul 20181,242
Jun 20181,363
May 20181,322
Apr 20181,197
Mar 20181,346
Feb 20181,309
Jan 20181,420
Dec 2017876
Nov 20171,196
Oct 20171,275
Sept 20171,151
Aug 20171,180
Jul 20171,160
Jun 20171,408
May 20171,321
Apr 20171,264
Mar 20171,532
Feb 20171,189
Jan 20171,509
Is there a shortage of public services associate professionals?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthUsual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
24%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for business and public service associate professionals, which includes public services associate professionals. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London817
Manchester94
Birmingham91
Leeds61
Bristol, City of55
Glasgow City44
Nottingham40
City of Edinburgh37
Sheffield35
Liverpool35
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where public services associate professionals are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of public services associate professionals
3.2%!
24%
23%
27%
18%
4.3%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–243.2% (small sample)
25–3424%
35–4423%
45–5427%
55–6418%
65+4.3% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent51%
Higher education below degree11%
A levels or equivalent20%
GCSEs or equivalent15%
Other qualifications!2%
No qualifications–
Not published
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent51%
Higher education below degree11%
A levels or equivalent20%
GCSEs or equivalent15%
Other qualifications2% (small sample)
No qualificationsNot published

Main employers: general public administration activities (29%), regulation of the activities of providing health care, education, cultural services and other social services, excluding social security (17%), hospital activities (16%), defence activities (6.3%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
51%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

Patient advice and liaison service officer

You can get into this job through:

College

The Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Customer Service teaches useful skills like dealing with complaints and resolving patient issues.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can gain some of the skills and knowledge you need through:

  • a Customer Service Practitioner Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • a Customer Service Specialist Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

You can search for NHS customer service apprenticeships on NHS Jobs.

Entry requirements

To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You may be able to start as a patient advice and liaison service (PALS) secretary or administrator and work your way up to PALS officer.

Volunteering

It can be possible to enter this role through volunteering in the NHS.

Some patient advice and liaison services are staffed by a mix of paid staff and volunteers.

You can also contact your local PALS services about opportunities.

Apply directly

To apply directly to become a PALS officer jobs, you'll need:

  • a good general standard of education GCSEs (grades 9 to 4 or A* to C) including English and maths
  • previous experience in a customer care or mediation role, including dealing with complaints

Some NHS organisations might want you to have a degree or may prefer you to have some working knowledge of the NHS.

A background in any of the following professions could be useful:

  • healthcare
  • advice
  • advocacy
  • counselling

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

You would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.

Further information

You can find out more about working in healthcare from Health Careers.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for patient advice and liaison service officer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Recycling engagement officer

You can get into this job through:

University

You can get into this job with a higher national diploma or degree in any subject. You may have an advantage if you have studied for a qualification in:

  • business and environment
  • environment and sustainability
  • community development
  • public relations or marketing

Some employers might want you to have a qualification that is accredited by the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM).

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • between 1 and 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma or degree

College

You could do a college course to help you learn some of the skills and knowledge you need to become a recycling engagement officer. For example a certificate or diploma in:

  • sustainable resource management
  • business management
  • marketing
  • public relations
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

Apprenticeship

You could begin by doing an apprenticeship like:

  • Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Practitioner Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
  • Environmental Practitioner Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship

These take a minimum of 3 years to complete.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Volunteering

You could volunteer at a recycling centre to get practical experience of working in waste management.

You could also take part in community or environmental based schemes to show your interest in local affairs.

Apply directly

You could apply directly to work as a recycling engagement officer.

You'll be expected to have an understanding of the issues around recycling, as well as experience of bringing different groups together to work on projects.

You can find out more about careers and training in recycling from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM).

What you’ll need

  • have a full driving licence

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for recycling engagement officer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • manages the activities of government office staff, assigns tasks and responsibilities and makes changes in procedures to deal with variations in workload
  • assists senior government officers with policy work, external liaison or general administrative work
  • supervises a variety of administrative functions in government departments such as recruitment and training, the negotiation and arrangement of contracts, building and capital management, monitoring and authorising department expenditure etc.
  • organises resources for the acceptance and recording of vacancy details, the selection of suitable applicants and other Job Centre activities
  • authorises the payment of social security benefits, assesses the financial circumstances of claimants and investigates any state insurance contribution problems
  • undertakes supervisory duties specific to the operation of Revenue and Customs offices, Job Centres, Benefits Agency offices and other local offices of national government
  • advises the public or companies on general tax problems and arranges for the issue, receipt and examination of tax forms, assessment of PAYE codes and the computation of tax arrears and rebates
  • discusses business strategy, products, services and target client base with management to identify public relations requirements
  • writes, edits and arranges for the distribution of press releases and other public relations material, addresses target groups through meetings, presentations, the media and other events to enhance the public image of the organisation, and monitors and evaluates its effectiveness

Skills

  • maintain relationships with government agencies
  • liaise with local authorities
  • maintain relations with local representatives
  • manage government policy implementation
  • develop professional network
  • perform project management
  • advise on legislative acts
  • advise on government policy compliance
  • analyse community needs
  • analyse goal progress
  • carry out strategic research
  • ensure information transparency
  • establish collaborative relations
  • present reports

Knowledge

  • government policy implementation
  • project management principles
  • budgetary principles
  • scientific research methodology
  • international law
  • foreign affairs

Suits people who like

  • Organising and following procedures
  • Leading and persuading

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for business and public service associate professionals, a group of 26 jobs that includes public services associate professionals.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↑ 1.2%about 26,000 more jobs
Workers needed by 20351.1 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

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