Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether any sanctions will apply to young people who decline a work placement under the Youth Guarantee scheme.

DWP is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. The department provides an extensive range of support for young people, tailored to individual needs.

As part of this the Chancellor has announced that DWP will offer a guaranteed job to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months. Our aim is to stop long-term unemployment for young people by subsidising a paid work placement so that they can develop their skills and gain valuable work experience. More details on this will be announced at the budget, including whether young people who turn down a suitable job offer could be subject to a sanction.