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 encourage businesses to recruit young people.

This Government is committed to backing young people, bringing down the number of those who are not learning or earning and incentivising the hiring of new talent. We are investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 through the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, including unlocking up to 200,000 opportunities for employment. The Government is also committing to over £1bn to deliver training opportunities targeted at key industries, including £295m for 29 new Technical Excellence Colleges that will serve over 100,000 students and deepen employer partnerships.

Through the Youth Guarantee, we are encouraging:

- businesses to take on new talent through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway

- additional work experience and training opportunities

- a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant

- a £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers

- a fully funded six-month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds

Employers are also not required to pay Employer National Insurance Contributions for employees under-21 and for apprentices under-25, on earnings up to £50,270.