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 improve employment opportunities for young people in rural areas.

The Get Britain Working White Paper set out our cross-Government plan to get people into and progress at work. A key focus is on supporting young people into employment, education or training. This is why the Government is implementing a Youth Guarantee – ensuring all 18-21-year-olds have access to training, an apprenticeship or help to find work, to prevent them becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.

DWP already provides 16-24-year-olds with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. 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 working alongside partners.

For example, we are running a pilot of hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in partnership with UKHospitality, which is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunities, half of which are in rural and/ or coastal areas.

Following a successful trial in the north-east of England, we have issued guidance to Jobcentres on how best to support people to overcome transport barriers that hinder them from securing and remaining in work.

Youth Hubs and Jobcentres across the country are also promoting the Flexible Support Fund, which can cover transport costs for job interviews, training and Jobcentre visits.