Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help tackle youth unemployment.

As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are developing a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people are either learning or earning. This includes access to high-quality training, apprenticeships, and personalised support to find work.

As a first step, eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April. These Trailblazers are testing new local approaches to identify and support young people at risk of falling out of education, employment or training and becoming NEET.

A key element of the Youth Guarantee, the Chanceller has announced a new Jobs Guarantee Scheme for young people on Universal Credit who have been unemployed for over 18 months. This will provide an opportunity for young people to gain essential skills and experience and prevent the damaging effects of long-term unemployment.

Already in place is our Youth Offer which provides tailored support to young people aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit. This includes a range of support designed to help young people move closer to employment, such as dedicated support from Youth Employability Coaches, access to Youth Hubs, and intensive guidance from Jobcentre Work Coaches during the first 13 weeks of a Universal Credit claim.

For those with more complex needs, specialist Youth Employability Coaches provide intensive, tailored support. These coaches work closely with Disability Employment Advisors, to ensure that interventions meet the specific needs of each young person.