Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase job opportunities in communities with an unemployment rate higher than the national average.

Over 3 million more people are in work, and unemployment is lower in all regions and nations of the UK than in 2010. Youth unemployment has almost halved in this time, and there has been an increase in female and older worker employment. However, DWP, along with other departments and agencies continues to focus on the labour market and its challenges. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published the ‘Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future’ white paper in November 2017. This sets out a plan for how local strategies can work together to increase local opportunities.

Jobcentre staff play an important role by offering advice and support to help jobseekers gain the relevant skills required to be able to take up jobs that are available in their communities. Roll-out of Universal Credit Full Service was completed earlier this month and across the country and gives our work coaches the flexibility to offer tailored support to claimants.

Government also provides The National Careers Service and works with local partners to provide opportunities for people. The range of support available may include:

• Connecting people to jobs in the labour market
• Help with job search, including CV writing, interview skills, where to find jobs and how to apply for them
• Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps (linked to the local labour market)
• Training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry recognised certification that will improve employability
• Help to overcome barriers to attending training or securing a job
• For large redundancies, DWP may also provide on-site services such as presentations to those affected
• Jobs fairs and job clubs where appropriate