Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to work with the logistics sector to help reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training.

With around one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.

This investment will create up to 500,000 opportunities for young people, including around 300,000 opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, and up to 200,000 employment opportunities through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who recruit 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit for more than six months. It will also introduce a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy employers taking on 16 to 24-year-old apprentices, alongside the Jobs Guarantee scheme, which will provide 18 to 24-year-olds who have been unemployed long-term with a fully funded six-month job.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) works closely with employers across the logistics sector to help create employment opportunities for young people, including those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Through its Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) and Jobcentre Plus networks, it supports employer-led recruitment and training initiatives that provide vocational skills linked directly to genuine vacancies and sustainable employment outcomes.

DWP continues to work with Road to Logistics and has promoted its Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) and warehousing programmes nationally to raise awareness of opportunities with logistics employers. These programmes are designed around employer demand and combine training with clear routes into employment, helping participants gain the skills needed to move into available jobs. DWP is also exploring opportunities to expand HGV training provision in additional areas across Great Britain.

In addition, the Department is working with logistics employer Biffa to explore the development of a new HGV Academy in the South Midlands. Discussions are focussing on how to specifically target NEET cohorts into logistics careers, using the Youth Jobs Grant and Jobs Guarantee to support participants into long-term employment opportunities. This has the potential to create a sustainable pipeline of talent for the logistics sector while supporting young people furthest from the labour market into quality jobs with clear progression routes.