Labour Exchange centenary
We’re marking 100 years of support for jobseekers.
Labour Exchanges – the forerunner of Jobcentre Plus – were created by the Labour Exchange Act of 1909.
This was the start of what was then a radical concept – that Government should bring together people looking for work and employers looking for workers. Winston Churchill, as President of the Board of Trade, rushed to get 62 exchanges open by February 1910.
Much has changed since then. The first Labour Exchanges had separate entrances and rooms for men and women and different rooms for skilled and unskilled workmen. “Juveniles” as young as 11 years old queued up to find work.
In the 1970s and 1980s, customers spoke to staff sitting behind large screens at formal interviews. Today’s jobseekers are invited to meet one-to-one with friendly advisers in an open plan office to discuss the advice, training and financial support they need to get back to work.
Share your memories
To mark the centenary, we would like you to share your memories and anecdotes about Labour Exchanges, Employment Exchanges and Jobcentres.
If you would rather send us your memories and anecdotes by email, please us the following address:
