Awarded contract

Developing a UK Skills Taxonomy

Details

Buyer: Department For Work and Pensions (DWP)
Supplier(s): University of Wanntick
Value: £741,126.67
Duration: 4 years
Topic: Research and development services and related consultancy services
Published: 5 October 2026
Source: uk:find_a_tender

Tender description

The Department for Education (DfE), via the Unit for Future Skills, commissioned the University of Warwick to develop a UK-wide skills taxonomy covering skills, qualifications, and occupations with links between them. The goal is a single authoritative framework to improve labour market analysis across government, academia, and employers. This contract was procured by Department for Education and transferred to Department for Work and Pensions in under Machinery of Government change in Spring 2026 . Please Note For transparency and avoidance of doubt: This Contract was published on Contracts finder and is being reproduced on FTS in order to publish a Reg 72 PCR2015 modification to it. https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/719dcdd6-1831-40a9-9c11-06595b8b32ff Lot 1: The Department for Education (DfE), via the Unit for Future Skills, commissioned the University of Warwick to develop a UK-wide skills taxonomy covering skills, qualifications, and occupations with links between them. The goal is a single authoritative framework to improve labour market analysis across government, academia, and employers. This contract was procured by Department for Education and transferred to Department for Work and Pensions in under Machinery of Government change in Spring 2026 .

Timeline

Completed: Award date10 May 2023
Completed: Award published5 October 2026
Current notice
Next: Contract expiry date31 March 2027in 5 months

About the buyer

The Department For Work and Pensions (DWP) delivers the State Pension and working-age benefits to millions of claimants, and buys as a central government ministerial department with its own commercial teams. Framework agreements are called off through the Government Commercial Agency using Public Sector Contract terms. Suppliers can join its low value purchasing system freely, with no cap on numbers. Dynamic purchasing systems cover welfare-to-work and employment support opportunities.

Over the past 5 years, most of DWP's contract awards have been in education and training, IT services and business services.

Decision makers

Connect with the people behind this procurement.

Job title	Phone number	Work email
Head of Procurement	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov
Commercial Director	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov
Procurement Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov
Category Lead	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov
Senior Buyer	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov
Contracts Manager	+44 •••• ••••••	••••••••@department-for-work-and-pensions-dwp.gov