Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department is considering piloting the youth guarantee scheme in London.

Our Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET are already underway in eight areas across England. Two of our Trailblazers are being delivered by the Greater London Authority, a ‘Pan London’ Trailblazer focused on better join-up of the systems supporting NEET young people including those with mental health conditions across London, and another delivering tailored support to young care leavers in 12 Central London Boroughs. We will use learning from the Trailblazers to inform future design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee.

For long-term unemployed 18–21-year-olds on Universal Credit, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment. This is part of the expanded Youth Guarantee, through which young people aged 16-24 across Great Britain are set to benefit from further support into employment and learning.

Delivery of the Jobs Guarantee will begin in six areas from spring 2026. No areas in London are included in this initial phase; however, this will be followed by national roll-out across Great Britain, including in London.