Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the press notice entitled Government outlines ambitious plans to level up activities for young people, published on 1 February 2022, whether it remains her Department's policy to maintain the level of spending on young people to that of the National Youth Guarantee.

This government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives. That is why we are co-producing a new National Youth Strategy with young people and the sectors that support them.

We committed to maintaining or increasing funding for our other youth programmes, following the closure of NCS. DCMS will invest £145 million in youth programmes in 2025-26, which is consistent with funding in 24/25, taking into consideration the planned tapering of the Youth Investment Fund. This investment will provide stability to the youth sector and ensure young people can access opportunities, as we transition to the National Youth Strategy. This includes over £28 million to increase access to more and better enriching activities, over £3 million to increase sector and workforce capacity, £8.2 million to improve local youth offers, and over £107 million to invest in ensuring safe, welcoming, fit-for purpose youth centres.

Additionally, on 2nd June we announced £132.5 million of Dormant Assets Funding will be allocated to support the provision of services, facilities or opportunities to meet the needs of young people. This will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.