Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Child Poverty Strategy, published on 5 December 2025, what interim milestones will be used to track progress toward lifting 550,000 children out of poverty by the end of the Parliament.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, published alongside the Strategy, sets out how we will track progress and evaluate success as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability and continued learning.
We will use two complementary headline metrics, relative low income (after housing costs) and deep material poverty, as well as a comprehensive programme of analysis focusing on the drivers of child poverty and the impact of specific interventions.
The Monitoring and Evaluation framework set out that a baseline report will be published in Summer 2026, reflecting the further development of plans and updated findings from the latest poverty statistics publications, with annual reporting on progress thereafter.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the suspension of child benefit payments on families also receiving other forms of social security support.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
Child Benefit, administered by His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), is not taken into account as income when calculating a Universal Credit award or other means-tested benefits. It is used to assess benefit levels for the purpose of determining whether to apply the benefit cap which limits the amount of social security benefits a working age household can receive. The benefit cap is applied through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.
The Department will continue to work closely with HMRC on all relevant matters.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of suspended child benefit payments on (a) Universal Credit and (b) other means-tested benefits.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
Child Benefit, administered by His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), is not taken into account as income when calculating a Universal Credit award or other means-tested benefits. It is used to assess benefit levels for the purpose of determining whether to apply the benefit cap which limits the amount of social security benefits a working age household can receive. The benefit cap is applied through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.
The Department will continue to work closely with HMRC on all relevant matters.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much Lancashire County Council has received in adult skills funding since 1 July 2024.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Lancashire County Council do not receive either Adult Skills Fund (ASF) or Advanced Learner Loans from the Department for Education, nor do they receive an ASF allocation from any Strategic Authorities who have devolved ASF. It should be noted that Lancashire County Council is not the only council in Lancashire, and the other councils may receive an ASF allocation. Funding is not devolved in Lancashire, and therefore providers are directly funded by the Department.
Lancashire County Council has received Skills Bootcamps allocations from the Department for Education in Financial Year 24-25 and Financial Year 25-26. The allocated amount for Lancashire in Financial Year 24-25 was £6,442,906, and in Financial Year 25-26 it was £7,034,047.09 (including an element for additional construction). Skills Bootcamps funding allocations: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
The total grant allocated represents the maximum amount allocated. The Department for Education does not expect areas to spend their full allocation. Areas typically spend about 50% to 60% of their allocation due to the payment milestone approach.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to introduce new targeted measures to reduce long-term not in employment, education, or training rates among 18–24-year-olds.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.
As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England which are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities. We will use the learning from these Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls out across the rest of Great Britain.
In addition, the Government is investing £25 million to expand Youth Hubs, which bring together employment support from a Jobcentre work coach and place-based support fromlocal partnerships to help young NEET people into work. This investment will almost double the number of Youth Hubs to over 200 across England, Scotland and Wales over the next three years, ensuring more young people can access personalised, wraparound support in their local communities.
The Chancellor has also announced that every eligible young person who has been on Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning will be offered guaranteed paid work. Participants of the scheme will receive support to take advantage of available opportunities, with the aim of helping them transition into regular employment. The scheme forms part of the government’s aim to provide targeted support for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. Further details including eligibility criteria and the structure of placements, will be confirmed at Budget.
The above builds on existing DWP labour market support for 16-24-year-olds through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level as part of the Youth Offer. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the number of young people not in employment, education, or training on economic growth in (a) Lancashire and (b) England.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
When this Government came to office there were almost 1 million young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and this Government is determined to address this.
The Government understands the negative effects of unemployment can be particularly pronounced for young people and can have longstanding implications on their future earnings potential and life chances. This is why the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a particular focus on ensuring young people are supported into employment, whilst also recognising their needs will vary depending on where they live and their own individual circumstances.
In Lancashire, DWP currently operates seven Youth Hubs in partnership with local organisations. These hubs bring together employment support from a Jobcentre work coach and place-based support from local partnerships to help young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) into work. These are located in Pendle, Burnley, Hyndburn, Blackburn, Preston, Fleetwood, and Blackpool. Additionally, all Lancashire Jobcentres offer the Movement to Work programme, providing young people with valuable work experience placements designed to build confidence, develop skills, and improve job prospects.
Building on existing support the government’s is also developing a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England which are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people NEET or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities. We will use the learning from these Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls out across the rest of Great Britain.
In addition, the Government is investing £25 million to expand Youth Hubs. This investment will almost double the number of Youth Hubs to over 200 across England, Scotland and Wales over the next three years, ensuring more young people can access personalised, wraparound support in their local communities.
My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has also announced that every eligible young person who has been on Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning will be offered guaranteed paid work. Participants of the scheme will receive support to take advantage of available opportunities, with the aim of helping them transition into regular employment. The scheme forms part of the government’s aim to provide targeted support for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. Further details including eligibility criteria and the structure of placements, will be confirmed at the Budget.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the proportion of people not in employment, education, or training who are claiming Universal Credit in the North West.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statistics on young people claiming UC can be found on DWP Stat Xplore - Stat-Xplore - Log in
Statistics on young people who are NEET are produced by DfE and the ONS –
Statistics: NEET and participation - GOV.UK and Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics
The Get Britain Working White Paper set plans to develop a Youth Guarantee which will ensure 18- to 21-year-olds are earning or learning.
An independent investigation has been launched to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training.
Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the probe will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun — with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.
The Terms of Reference can be found here.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of covering the insurance costs of employers taking on volunteer workers; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on the number of people not in employment, education or training.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP recognises that there are many benefits to volunteering for individuals, including for those not in employment, education or training. These include gaining new skills, knowledge and experience, improving physical and mental wellbeing, growing confidence and improving a person's CV. We have worked with the Royal Voluntary Service and with a group of charities who make up Shaping the Future with Volunteering to develop a ‘Volunteering Toolkit’ to support DWP operational staff, including work coaches, to connect customers to volunteering opportunities. We also ran a two-week internal communications campaign in Autumn 2024 to raise the profile of volunteering as a step towards work.
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) protects employees and others who may be affected by work activities. This includes those volunteering for, or on behalf of an organisation. Employers must include volunteers, as well as employees, in risk assessments to identify significant risks and implement effective control measures. Any further insurance beyond statutory requirements is a commercial decision for an employer.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to (a) employers and (b) service providers on making reasonable adjustments for people with (i) misophonia and (ii) other sensory conditions.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled employee, would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments.
Employers have a key role to play in supporting workers with long term health conditions or disabilities in the workplace. DWP's current offer to employers includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the services available at job centres to (a) community organisations and (b) sports groups.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supports customers through our job centre network and a range of venues within local communities such as community centres and sports venues. These services allow DWP to help harder to reach customers in an environment that suits their needs and will be a core principle of the jobs and careers service.