Asked by: Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 30 December 2025 (HL12932), whether they plan to commission research into the number of young people not in education, employment or training because they are waiting for mental health, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism services or diagnosis; and what steps they will take to understand the scale of that issue.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State has commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will seek to understand the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training. He will be supported by a panel of experts with diverse expertise and will be mobilising the existing Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel.
The research and analysis to inform the report will aim to improve our understanding of the number of young people not in education, employment or training, including identification of those with health needs.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Leicester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the trusted adults targeted through the National Youth Strategy are trained and equipped to provide skilled work-readiness coaching for young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Through the National Youth Strategy, the government has committed to support more trusted adults to safely engage with and guide young people when and where they need it most.
Whilst our work to increase access to trusted adults will be broader than work-readiness coaching, we expect it to achieve positive education and employment outcomes for young people. Further details on the scope of DCMS activities and programmes will be published in due course.
More widely, the government has set out a major plan of investment to increase work readiness for young people who are not in education, employment or training. Over the next four years, we are investing £820 million in an expanded Youth Guarantee to give young people the opportunity to gain the essential skills and valuable experience they need.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Leicester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have in place to ensure that the trial of new interventions within the Youth Trailblazers programme does not affect participation levels in existing employment programmes run by the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector which they have evaluated as effective.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The 8 Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, led by Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) in 7 areas across England, are testing innovative approaches to identify, engage and deliver localised support to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. To do this effectively, they are working with a range of local partners including third sector organisations, education and training providers and employers to provide a more seamless offer that provides young people with a clear pathway into training or employment opportunities.
As the Trailblazers are locally led, MSAs have tailored their offer to meet the needs and address the barriers of young people in their area. This includes addressing gaps in provision or opportunities where these are identified as well as reducing any duplication of support.
The Department has also commissioned an evaluation to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Trailblazers in improving employment outcomes. This will be combined with the Trailblazers own local evaluation and management information, to inform the future design of the Youth Guarantee and clarify the role of local areas in supporting young people.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Youth Guarantee on the jobs market.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Youth Guarantee aims to increase opportunities for 16-24-year-olds to make them work-ready and equipped to thrive. Success will be measured by improvement in employment outcomes, reduction in economic inactivity, and an increase in participation in education and training. We will monitor these outcomes nationally for all Youth Guarantee participants. This will build on already commissioned evaluation of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers and a planned full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
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 assess the suitability of people for each job under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
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 ensure job placements are carried out fully under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the quality of jobs available under the Youth Guarantee.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the wider Youth Guarantee, the Jobs Guarantee scheme will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the Jobs Guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people.
A critical part of the Jobs Guarantee will be the provision of wraparound support to ensure that young people are able to take that crucial first step into employment, and to further develop the required skills and experience needed for the move into sustained employment.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps are being taken to encourage more young people into work.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s ambition is to transform young people’s prospects, by ensuring every one of them has the chance to earn or learn through a Youth Guarantee.
We have already taken the first steps towards delivering a Youth Guarantee, launching Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, announcing funding to almost double our Youth Hubs across Great Britain, and we recently launched an Independent Report into Young People and Work, to identify potential areas for reform to better support young people with health conditions and disabilities.
We are now expanding the Youth Guarantee, backed by a £820 million investment over the next three years to reach almost 900,000 young people. This includes Youth Hubs in every area in Great Britain and a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, offering a dedicated session and follow-up support to 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit to get them into employment or training. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. In addition, it will provide guaranteed jobs to around 55,000 young people aged 18-21.
Employment support policies are devolved in Northern Ireland and the responsibility of the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on further education provision for people aged between 16 and 24 in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Autumn Budget 2025 made available more than £1.5 billion over the Spending Review period for investment in employment and skills support through the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.
This includes fully funding SME apprenticeships for eligible people under 25, alongside changes to make the apprenticeship system simpler and more efficient. £725 million of this total package will deliver the next phase of the Growth and Skills offer, invested through expanding foundation apprenticeships, launching a pilot to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities, and fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from the next academic year.
This investment will support people of all ages across the country, including in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on further education provision for people over the age of 24 in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend constituency.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Autumn Budget 2025 made available more than £1.5 billion over the Spending Review period for investment in employment and skills support through the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy.
This includes fully funding SME apprenticeships for eligible people under 25, alongside changes to make the apprenticeship system simpler and more efficient. £725 million of this total package will deliver the next phase of the Growth and Skills offer, invested through expanding foundation apprenticeships, launching a pilot to better connect young people to local apprenticeship opportunities, and fully fund SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from the next academic year.
This investment will support people of all ages across the country, including in Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend.