Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the (1) national target or anticipated numbers of Skills Bootcamps learner starts, and (2) actual start figures, for (a) locally commissioned delivery; (b) centrally procured or directly managed national contracts; and (c) any other delivery route, for each year since Skills Bootcamps were launched, and for 2026–27 where figures are held.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has not published starts targets split by national and local delivery.
Skills Bootcamps starts are published here. Releases - Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes - page 1 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
The below table sets out spend for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year. Final spend for the 2025-26 financial year is not yet available. In the 2026-27 financial year the Skills Bootcamps budget is £166 million.
Skills Bootcamps spend | 2021-22 FY | 2022-23 FY | 2023-24 FY | 2024-25 FY |
National delivery | £26,000,000 | £53,000,000 | £85,000,000 | £123,000,000 |
We do not hold contract allocation values for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year as contracts span multiple financial years.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each financial year from 2023–24 to 2025–26, what was the total maximum funding available through centrally procured or directly managed national Skills Bootcamps contracts, and what was the final amount spent through those contracts in each year; and what is the forecast or allocated spend for 2026–27.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department has not published starts targets split by national and local delivery.
Skills Bootcamps starts are published here. Releases - Skills bootcamps starts, completions and outcomes - page 1 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK
The below table sets out spend for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year. Final spend for the 2025-26 financial year is not yet available. In the 2026-27 financial year the Skills Bootcamps budget is £166 million.
Skills Bootcamps spend | 2021-22 FY | 2022-23 FY | 2023-24 FY | 2024-25 FY |
National delivery | £26,000,000 | £53,000,000 | £85,000,000 | £123,000,000 |
We do not hold contract allocation values for Skills Bootcamps national delivery by financial year as contracts span multiple financial years.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government which department holds lead responsibility for reducing drowning deaths in England.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the decision to restrict Level 7 apprenticeship funding for apprentices aged over 21 does not financially disadvantage learners who have completed a Level 6 architectural assistant apprenticeship and wish to progress to a full professional qualification at Level 7.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity. Since January 2026, the government no longer funds level 7 apprenticeships, equivalent to master’s degree level, except for young apprentices under the age of 22, and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers.
The government is encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff aged over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. The department has published guidance on privately funded apprenticeships, which will enable employers to privately fund level 7 apprenticeships for staff aged over 22: Privately funded apprenticeships: rules and guidance - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total amount of unspent funds from the Apprenticeship Levy returned to the Treasury for each of the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions, and prior to that the Department for Education, has responsibility for apprenticeships in England only. The annual English apprenticeships budget is agreed at key fiscal events and ring-fenced. This budget is distinct from the total levy receipts collected by HM Treasury and the funds in employers’ apprenticeship service accounts.
The English apprenticeship budget covers the spend drawn down by all levy-paying employers, as well as apprenticeships for those who do not pay the levy, the costs of English and maths tuition for apprentices, and additional payments to employers, training providers and apprentices. It also covers the administrative costs of running the apprenticeships programme.
Over the past two financial years the English apprenticeships budget has been almost fully spent. The table below provides details of the English apprenticeships budget. As is usual practice, any underspends in overall departmental budgets by the end of the financial year are returned to HMT as per the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance.
£ (million) | |||||
Financial year | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
Ring-fenced apprenticeships budget | 2,467 | 2,466 | 2,554 | 2,525* | 2,769 |
Underspend against the ring-fenced apprenticeships budget | 604 | 11 | 96 | 16* | 0 |
*The 2023-24 annual apprenticeship budget was revised in-year from £2,585 million to £2,525 million, as £60 million was surrendered in-year.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for continuing the Household Support Fund after it ends in September.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
£500 million is being provided to enable the current Household Support Fund, including funding for Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion. This means Local Authorities in England are receiving £421 million to support those in need locally.
The current Household Support Fund will be in place until 30 September 2024.
As a new government, we are reviewing all policies, including the Household Support Fund.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), what components of this "comprehensive learning journey" do all work coaches undertake; and what are the "tools, skills and behaviours" required of those coaches.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Work Coach Learning equips staff with tools, knowledge, skills and behaviours through a rich mix of topics, to enable them to support each claimant as an individual.
This includes building a coaching skill set, focus on vulnerable customers and those with complex needs as well as those with health conditions, the impacts of their condition and what support is available to assist individuals moving closer to the working environment. DWP ensures that staff access the most up to date advice and expertise on a particular health condition/ complex need to support all individual customers requirements through signposted guidance support and websites to effectively use resources from both internal and external sites.
Work Coaches also receive on-going learning for their roles and access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals. Please see attached list of learning which Work Coaches undertake as part of their comprehensive learning journey.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), who provides this training to work coaches; and what qualifications do they have.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Work Coach Learning is delivered by DWP Learning Delivery Officers. Learning Delivery Officers receive a bespoke Training for Trainer event which is facilitated by experienced DWP Learning Delivery Officers. This is followed by an intensive consolidation period, peer support and a robust quality assurance process conducted by Line Managers throughout their onward delivery.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how much time is each work coach assigned to a young person.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions’ Youth Offer is providing individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16-24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search regime. This includes intensive support during the first 13 weeks of a claim through the Youth Employment Programme, and access to Youth Employability Coaches (YECs) who are helping young people overcome complex barriers to employment, as well as offering 6 weeks of in-work support once they move into work. YECs also work closely alongside Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions, and partner organisations who can provide specialist advice.
The aim of the 13-week Youth Employment Programme is to help claimants access opportunities to move them closer, and into work, including work experience placements, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, traineeships, apprenticeships, and equivalent opportunities in Scotland and Wales. Participants will see a Work Coach on a weekly basis for the duration of the Programme with additional time at week 2 for a Skills Review and a Progress Review at week 11.
At the end of the 13 weeks claimants will continue to receive support through the core Jobcentre offer with the frequency and length of interventions determined by the individual circumstances of the claimant, the duration of their claim, and the level of support required at that particular time.
The Youth Offer also provides a network of Youth Hubs in locations across Great Britain. The Hubs are co-located and co-delivered in partnership with local providers and provide place-based support to the help young people in the community move into work.
Asked by: Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how often is the provision of work coaching refreshed.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Work Coaches undertake job specific learning when they are new to role, as well as consolidation of their learning once training is completed. They are supported by Team Leaders who are responsible for assuring the quality of services through a combination of observation of interviews, feedback, coaching and appraisal.
Work Coaches continue to receive ongoing learning to ensure they are confident in providing claimants with the support they need. They also have access to guidance which is refreshed at regular intervals.