Department for Work and Pensions

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report, published on 5 November 2025, aims to tackle health-related economic inactivity, with over one in five working-age adults out of the workforce, substantially because of health problems.

While not the direct focus, Statutory Sick Pay was considered as part of the Keep Britain Working Review, and we will work with the Vanguard employers to explore how to best utilise Occupational Sick Pay to generate the best outcomes for all.

The vanguard phase will consider and make recommendations to government on the incentives needed for employers and employees to deliver better work and health outcomes.

Sir Charlie Mayfield’s independent Keep Britain Working review report, published on 5 November 2025, aims to tackle health-related economic inactivity, with over one in five working-age adults out of the workforce, substantially because of health problems.

While not the direct focus, Statutory Sick Pay was considered as part of the Keep Britain Working Review, and we will work with the Vanguard employers to explore how to best utilise Occupational Sick Pay to generate the best outcomes for all.

The vanguard phase will consider and make recommendations to government on the incentives needed for employers and employees to deliver better work and health outcomes.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) exists to ensure that children receive the financial support they are entitled to. When parents fail to financially support their children CMS have a range of enforcement powers that are provided for in the 1991 Child Support Act and the Collection and Enforcement regulations 1992. These include applying to the magistrates’ court for a Liability Order which gives formal recognition of debt a paying parent legally owes.

Decisions surrounding which enforcement method to proceed with are carefully considered by caseworkers based on the case circumstances and the welfare of any qualifying children involved. Parents have a right to challenge the decisions taken by the CMS through established dispute and appeal routes.

In 2018 an exercise to close all CSA cases with live liabilities was completed. As part of that, both parents were given the opportunity to challenge case information, including arrears balances, or decide whether the arrears should move to the CMS to be pursued.

The annual Separated Families statistics, in particular section 6, report the estimated financial impact of child maintenance on non-resident parent households, including both Child Maintenance Service (statutory) arrangements and private (non-statutory) arrangements. The quarterly Child Maintenance Service statistics, particularly sections 6 to 9, contain information on the compliance and enforcement of arrangements made via the service. The Department has no plans to publish mortality data or other additional data relating to Paying Parents.

Support for vulnerable households affected by the rising cost of heating oil will be treated as crisis payments under the Crisis and Resilience Fund and as per guidance, local authorities have flexibility to determine eligibility for crisis payments.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Pensions has met with representatives of Financial Assistance Scheme members, including former Allied Steel and Wire workers, and has heard first-hand how they have been affected by their scheme qualifying for the Financial Assistance Scheme. These meetings follow correspondence from these members, parliamentarians and from members of the Welsh Assembly.

We know that the pension compensation system and the safety net it offers needs to work harder for members. That is why we have brought forward legislation to introduce annual increases on compensation payments from the Pension Protection Fund and Financial Assistance Scheme based on pensions built up before 6 April 1997. These increases will be CPI-linked (capped at 2.5%) and apply prospectively (i.e. to payments going forward) for members.

I am happy to confirm that former members of Allied Steel and Wire will benefit from these changes.

Claims are not awarded/paid until the end of the monthly assessment period, in order that an accurate assessment can be made, including any income/earnings received during that period. Therefore, there is no measure of claim completion prior to the end of the assessment period.

‘Payment Timeliness’ data, shows those claimants who are paid on time at the end of the first assessment period; however, this is not segregated by claimant characteristics or channel.

The latest published statistics for ‘Payment Timeliness’ are from October 2025, showing 93% received their payment on time and 88% their payment on time and in full.

Universal Credit is primarily a digital service, but there is a continued focus on accessibility and support, allowing claimants to transact via a variety of channels according to their needs, offering non‑digital routes. This includes making a claim by telephone or face-to-face and where appropriate, home visits may also be considered.

Independent support is also available through the Help to Claim service, delivered by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland. For customers identified as vulnerable, including some customers with learning difficulties, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also has an Enhanced Support Journey for those migrating from Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) who may need additional help to make and complete their claim.

Where a customer is unable to manage their own affairs, DWP can appoint a suitable individual, third party, or organisation to act on the customer’s behalf and manage their Universal Credit claim. This arrangement can be short or long‑term, depending on the customer’s circumstances.

The Department is committed to ensuring customers are supported in a way that meets their individual needs and DWP staff are required to discuss and review accessibility needs at every interaction, as reasonable adjustment needs can change over time.

The Department holds Universal Credit data to support the safe and accurate delivery of benefit; primarily supporting the effective administration of claims, rather than detailed analytical reporting by disability type. Therefore, data does not currently show identity verification or work capability related outcomes segregated by claimant characteristics, such as learning disabilities. The latest published statistics for ‘Payment Timeliness’ are from October 2025, showing 93% received their payment on time and 88% their payment on time and in full.

Identity verification can be completed through a range of digital and non‑digital routes; with the majority of customers successfully verifying their identity. A proportion of customers disengage from the process before completion; however, this can occur for many reasons (including finding work/earning more) and does not necessarily indicate an inability to verify identity. Where customers have health conditions or learning disabilities, support is provided operationally through tailored help and reasonable adjustments. Any agreed adjustments are recorded on the customer’s account and reviewed regularly, ensuring support can be delivered consistently throughout the Universal Credit journey.

There is continued focus on accessibility and support, allowing claimants to transact via a variety of channels according to their needs, including offering non‑digital routes, reasonable adjustments and tailored help for customers who may struggle with the claims process. These measures are intended to support successful engagement and completion of claims with 88% paid on time at the end of the first assessment period.

To provide information on the percentage of first tier tribunal hearings across all DWP administered benefits would incur disproportionate costs.

The Department does not send Presenting Officers to Upper Tribunal hearings.

The Office for National Statistics (ONE) is the independent body responsible for economic classification decisions in the UK. Following international statistical guidance, the ONS has classified the PPF as a public pension fund, while the levies to fund the PPF are classified as taxes.

The way the PPF Board’s assets and liabilities are treated within the public finances does not affect the legal separation of the property of the Crown and Board as set out in the Pensions Act 2004.

The Office for National Statistics (ONE) is the independent body responsible for economic classification decisions in the UK. Following international statistical guidance, the ONS has classified the PPF as a public pension fund, while the levies to fund the PPF are classified as taxes.

The way the PPF Board’s assets and liabilities are treated within the public finances does not affect the legal separation of the property of the Crown and Board as set out in the Pensions Act 2004.

This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 NEETs. This increased by 250,000 between 2021 and 2024. The number of young people not in education, employment and training (NEET) currently stands at around 957,000. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve and we are increasing funding and taking action in the following ways.

On 16^th March, the Government announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, resulting in a total £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in 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.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting employers, partners and young people across Great Britain.

Additionally, an independent investigation has been launched to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people who are NEET. Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the report will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun, with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.

This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 NEETs. This increased by 250,000 between 2021 and 2024. The number of young people not in education, employment and training (NEET) currently stands at around 957,000. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve and we are increasing funding and taking action in the following ways.

On 16^th March, the Government announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, resulting in a total £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in 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.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting employers, partners and young people across Great Britain.

Additionally, an independent investigation has been launched to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people who are NEET. Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the report will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun, with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.

The median duration for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants in both (a) the support group and (b) the work-related activity group was over 5 years in all three years.

Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and group allocation being Work-Related Activity Group (WRAG):

* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.

* New Style ESA ‘applications’ and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and WRAG assignment is determined only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA, and the primary health condition as per the International Classification of Diseases (2010) classification (ICD10) used in official statistics is captured at the WCA rather than on the application form. As a result, the only robust data source for WRAG outcomes by health condition is WCA data.

* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.

* ESA Group Allocation refers to the result of the WCA decision that been adjusted for appeal outcome. The outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker's decision or appeal tribunal's decision or the recommendation made by the Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker's decision is not yet available.

* ICD Group refers to the World Health Organisations' International Classification of Diseases (2010) Condition Groups. In DWP statistics, these are sometimes referred to as medical conditions. For reporting purposes, the conditions as recorded on the Employment Support Allowance Benefit system have been mapped to reflect as closely as possible the appropriate ICD10 code. Conditions are based on evidence provided at the start of the claim, this in itself does not confer entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance and may not represent a claimant's most recent medical condition. Where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is reported on in these statistics.

Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and group allocation being Support Group (SG):

* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.

* New Style ESA ‘applications’ and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and SG assignment is determined only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA, and the primary health condition as per the International Classification of Diseases (2010) classification (ICD10) used in official statistics is captured at the WCA rather than on the application form. As a result, the only robust data source for SG outcomes by primary health condition is WCA data.

* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.

* ESA Group Allocation refers to the result of the WCA decision that been adjusted for appeal outcome. The outcome recorded is the final DWP Decision Maker's decision or appeal tribunal's decision or the recommendation made by the Healthcare Professional where the Decision Maker's decision is not yet available.

* ICD Group refers to the World Health Organisations' International Classification of Diseases (2010) Condition Groups. In DWP statistics, these are sometimes referred to as medical conditions. For reporting purposes, the conditions as recorded on the Employment Support Allowance Benefit system have been mapped to reflect as closely as possible the appropriate ICD10 code. Conditions are based on evidence provided at the start of the claim, this in itself does not confer entitlement to Employment and Support Allowance and may not represent a claimant's most recent medical condition. Where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is reported on in these statistics.

We know that individuals face different barriers to employment and as a result require different types of employment support to get into work.

We have adopted a test and learn approach to many of the reforms across the employment support system, allowing us to build an evidence base to inform future policies and shape the design of future reform. Overall, we measure progress against the Get Britain Working outcome metrics, published last April and updated annually here: Get Britain Working outcomes - GOV.UK.

For young people: we expect to publish interim findings on the effectiveness of the eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers during the next two years, and the current network of Youth Hubs has shown positive outcomes, with young people reporting increased confidence and clearer career goals; we published an evaluation of the Youth Offer in 2024; a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.

For those with health conditions and disabilities: we expect to publish interim findings on the effectiveness the nine Economic Inactivity Trailblazers during the next two years and will develop the value for money assessment once longer-term impacts have developed; we are building on our assessment of the successful WorkWell pilot, which has already supported over 25,000 people to stay in or re‑enter work; to develop our Connect to Work programme which is the largest Supported Employment initiative in Europe, we are drawing on robust international evidence which demonstrates that a holistic, personalised approach for individuals with more complex barriers is more effective in helping people move into and sustain work and we have commissioned the National Centre for Social Research to lead a comprehensive evaluation of its impact, reporting in 2031.

For those who are long term unemployed – evidence from analysis of the Work Programme shows that participation in the Restart programme results in significant increase in employment for participants (30% more than the comparison group); we have committed to publish a report this spring with more detail on how we are delivering the new Jobs and Careers Service.

To further build and inform our employment support services, DWP are due to launch a What Works Centre for Local Employment Support in 2027, which will help identify, develop, test and evaluate evidence-based locally delivered employment and labour market support to help people access, remain in, and progress in work.

Sanctions are only ever applied if a claimant has failed to undertake their agreed requirements without good reason. All requirements are set in discussion with the claimant and tailored to their capability and circumstances, making them realistic and achievable. Requirements are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain appropriate for every claimant.

Our work coaches regularly repeat key messages about the need for a claimant to meet their requirements and what the consequences of not meeting them are. If a claimant has known vulnerabilities, we take them into account and provide additional support where possible.

Before a referral is made, a pre-referral quality check is completed as an additional safeguarding measure to check for any claimant vulnerabilities and to review the appropriateness of the activity set.

If a referral is made, an independent DWP decision maker will further consider the claimant’s circumstances, whether the work-related requirement was appropriate, the external situation at the time of failure, and any evidence of good reason, before deciding whether a sanction is applicable.

In England, £27 million of funding will be delivered via the Crisis and Resilience Fund to support low-income households reliant on oil for heating. £842 million a year was already committed through the Crisis and Resilience Fund at Spending Review 2025, which all unitary and upper tier authorities in England will already receive funding from to support vulnerable and low-income households with financial shocks, including increases to essential costs such as energy.

Funding has been allocated to local authorities in a way that accounts for deprivation levels as measured by the Index of Multiple Deprivation and the number of households using heating oil according to census data. To ensure the funding is targeted where it is most needed, only local authorities where more than 1% of the population use heating oil for central heating will receive the additional funding.

Hampshire has been allocated £586,569 to distribute to households the local authority considers most in need. Figures will also be published on gov.uk in due course and we have shared this information with all councils that will receive funding.

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS), as part of the Department for Work and Pensions, follows the Department’s standard complaints procedure.

The CMS regularly reviews complaint data, including insights from the Independent Case Examiner, to identify key themes and trends, which they use to drive improvements to the complaint handling process. Furthermore, lessons learned are regularly presented to operational teams, supporting them to deliver effective interventions at the initial stage of the complaint and thereby improve the overall customer experience.

The CMS remains focussed on taking pro-active steps to improve the customer experience, developing its customer service strategy to focus on improving current and future service throughout the customer journey.

A total of 85 customers were referred by DWP to DVSA Test Centres across the six priority locations. From this number, 37 passed the assessment and have been offered roles. DVSA provided feedback on a further 26 who were unsuccessful but showed clear potential and stated it would like to support these customers with a further test if DWP can provide refresher training. The remaining 22 customers were unsuccessful.

The Pension Protection Fund (PPF) is a statutory public corporation, and the Department for Work and Pensions works closely with PPF and its Board across a broad range of topics, including member compensation levels and PPF reserves.

Access to Work prioritises both employed, and self-employed applicants who are due to start work within the next four weeks or renewing existing grants, to minimise disruption to employment. There are not separate systems for employed and self‑employed applicants and awards are assessed on the number of hours worked for both groups of applicants. Employed applicants are assessed against their set contracted hours, and there is a cap on the number of hours that can be provided. This is different for self-employed customers, as they self-declare their number of working hours. We know that, in general, self-employed people work longer per week than employed people.

We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform, and ensure Access to Work is tailored to the needs of all customers.

Access to Work prioritises both employed, and self-employed applicants who are due to start work within the next four weeks or renewing existing grants, to minimise disruption to employment. There are not separate systems for employed and self‑employed applicants and awards are assessed on the number of hours worked for both groups of applicants. Employed applicants are assessed against their set contracted hours, and there is a cap on the number of hours that can be provided. This is different for self-employed customers, as they self-declare their number of working hours. We know that, in general, self-employed people work longer per week than employed people.

We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform, and ensure Access to Work is tailored to the needs of all customers.

Access to Work prioritises both employed, and self-employed applicants who are due to start work within the next four weeks or renewing existing grants, to minimise disruption to employment. There are not separate systems for employed and self‑employed applicants and awards are assessed on the number of hours worked for both groups of applicants. Employed applicants are assessed against their set contracted hours, and there is a cap on the number of hours that can be provided. This is different for self-employed customers, as they self-declare their number of working hours. We know that, in general, self-employed people work longer per week than employed people.

We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform, and ensure Access to Work is tailored to the needs of all customers.

Access to Work prioritises both employed, and self-employed applicants who are due to start work within the next four weeks or renewing existing grants, to minimise disruption to employment. There are not separate systems for employed and self‑employed applicants and awards are assessed on the number of hours worked for both groups of applicants. Employed applicants are assessed against their set contracted hours, and there is a cap on the number of hours that can be provided. This is different for self-employed customers, as they self-declare their number of working hours. We know that, in general, self-employed people work longer per week than employed people.

We are reviewing all aspects of Access to Work as we develop plans for reform, and ensure Access to Work is tailored to the needs of all customers.

No specific assessment has been made, or evaluation conducted, of the link between leaving higher education without completing and welfare benefits but we know qualifications matter. Data from the 2021 census showed, 1 in 5 young people aged 16-24 in full-time education or employment had no qualifications or qualifications below Level 2. Among those who were unemployed or economically inactive, the proportion with no qualifications or qualifications below level 2 was twice as high.

This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 young people not in education, employment and training (NEET), an increase of 250,000 since 2021. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve.

That is why this Government is investing in young people’s futures. On 16 March we announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in 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.

The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.

No specific assessment has been made, or evaluation conducted, of the link between leaving higher education without completing and welfare benefits but we know qualifications matter. Data from the 2021 census showed, 1 in 5 young people aged 16-24 in full-time education or employment had no qualifications or qualifications below Level 2. Among those who were unemployed or economically inactive, the proportion with no qualifications or qualifications below level 2 was twice as high.

This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. When this Government came into power there were 921,000 young people not in education, employment and training (NEET), an increase of 250,000 since 2021. For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve.

That is why this Government is investing in young people’s futures. On 16 March we announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in 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.

The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.

The Government inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, found themselves with unexpected debts due to overpayments of CA. The Independent Review, undertaken by Liz Sayce, showed that some mistakes were made, and we are determined to put them right. We welcomed the report and accepted or partially accepted 38 of the 40 recommendations. The Department will now continue putting things right by reassessing cases affected because guidance on averaging irregularly fluctuating earnings between 2015 and 2025 did not accurately reflect the statutory position. We will set out more details on the reassessment exercise in the next few weeks.

Building on the December Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy announcement, the Government has committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people, and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain, and the introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres, providing more intensive support to 16-24 year olds.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to backing young people, supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for young people.

For many years our young people have not had the opportunity and support they deserve. Under the last government, between 2021 and 2024, the number of young people not in education, employment or training increased by 250,000.

The Government has recently announced a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking the total investment to £2.5 billion over the next three years though the Youth Guarantee and additional investment in 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.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England, expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain and introduction of a new Youth Guarantee Gateway in Jobcentres. The Gateway will provide 16-24-year-olds on Universal Credit a dedicated session and follow-up support to help them move into work, training or education.

This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training, including up to 150,000 work experience placements and up to 145,000 employer designed training opportunities, such as Sector based Work Academy Programmes, which offer participants a guaranteed job interview at the end.

In addition, the Government is taking action to support employers to recruit and train young people, helping to unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities. This includes a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-old, and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

The Government will also prioritise prevention, building on measures announced in the Skills White Paper. The Government will improve support in schools, monitor attendance, increase access to work experience and work with local authorities to pilot auto-enrolling young people in further education, if needed.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to backing young people, supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for young people.

In Staffordshire, our DWP Schools Advisers have supported over 3,600 young people across in the 2024/25 academic year. This includes 220 students in Newcastle-under-Lyme at Orme Academy, St Peter's Academy, and Abbey Hill Special School. Young people have access to training in Digital Marketing, Cyber Security, Web Design, and Emergency First Aid for Mental Health through The Training Initiative.

Apprenticeship starts for the 2024/25 academic year by standard and age are published here: Apprenticeships, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK.

Over the past 10 years, apprenticeship starts among young people have fallen sharply. Starts for 16–24-year-olds have declined by 40%, and over half of all apprenticeship starts are now by learners aged over 25, many of which are at higher levels. This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) increase to nearly one million.

The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units. An equalities impact assessment was undertaken and concluded that any potential negative impacts that could arise were proportionate to our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards young people, delivering growth, and better aligning the programme with the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

Apprenticeship starts for the 2024/25 academic year by standard and age are published here: Apprenticeships, Academic year 2024/25 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK.

Over the past 10 years, apprenticeship starts among young people have fallen sharply. Starts for 16–24-year-olds have declined by 40%, and over half of all apprenticeship starts are now by learners aged over 25, many of which are at higher levels. This has happened at a time when we have seen the number of young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) increase to nearly one million.

The changes to streamline the apprenticeship offer will help to create headroom to invest in opportunities for young people and new apprenticeship units. An equalities impact assessment was undertaken and concluded that any potential negative impacts that could arise were proportionate to our legitimate aim of rebalancing funding towards young people, delivering growth, and better aligning the programme with the Youth Guarantee and the Industrial Strategy.

The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026 are in general consequential on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026.

The provisions in the Up-rating Regulations cannot be included in the Up-rating Order because the powers on which the Up-rating Order relies are insufficiently wide to include these provisions.

The Youth Guarantee and changes to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritise young apprentices will together support around 1 million young people and create almost 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, in partnership with employers and education providers. Young people in Buckingham and Bletchley will benefit from the full offer of support.

In Buckingham and Bletchley, young people also benefit from a range of support offered through our jobcentres. For example, Aylesbury Jobcentre Plus offers Work Experience opportunities specifically for youth customers, through organisations such as NHS Bright Future Opportunities. Customers also benefit from dedicated Youth Work Coaches, Digital Skills Sessions and Sector based Work Academy (SWAPs).

Milton Keynes Jobcentre Plus runs Mentoring Circles with local employers to support young people into employment, along with Work Experience opportunities with organisations, such as, Barnardos, Oxfam and B&M.

Initial Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by date of decision and ESA group allocation:

* Data is taken from Stat-Xplore. Volumes have been rounded to the nearest ten. Totals may not sum due to rounding and the disclosure control applied.

* The latest available data is for September 2025. Therefore, the 2025 volumes do not cover the entire year and are not comparable to the 2023 or 2024 volumes.

* New Style ESA applications and Work Capability Assessments (WCAs) are distinct processes, and successful outcomes are centrally collated only once a WCA has been completed. Not all applications proceed to a WCA. The only robust data source for successful outcomes is WCA data.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out our commitment to get the basics right and improve the experience for people who use the system of health and disability. This includes exploring ways to improve trust and transparency in PIP and WCA through reviewing our approach to safeguarding, recording assessments to increase trust in the process, and moving back to having more face-to-face assessments while continuing to meet the needs of people who may require different methods of assessment.

We have also launched the Timms Review, the first ever full review of PIP, to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review is being co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, so a wide range of views and voices are heard.

The Review will consider how PIP can enable disabled people to live independently; whether the assessment effectively captures the impact of long-term health conditions and disability in the modern world; and whether it should consider any other evidence. It will also look at how the assessment could ensure people access the right support at the right level.

We do not hold data on the full employment costs of all Support Workers, including National Insurance, pension contributions and holiday pay. This is not information we routinely collect.

When setting our indicative payment rates, we aim to ensure value for money for taxpayers while continuing to provide effective support for disabled people in work.

Current Access to Work rate cards can be found on GOV.UK, where the latest versions are published. For the most up to date information –

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-guide-for-employers

Whilst a sanction typically results in a 100% reduction of the Universal Credit standard allowance rate for each day the sanction is in place (except for couples where this is halved), lower reduction rates apply in certain scenarios where it is reasonable due to the claimant’s circumstances, such as if they are aged 16 or 17. If a claimant is entitled to additional elements on top of their standard allowance such as for children or housing costs, they will continue to be paid.

To keep the conditionality and sanctions system clear, fair and effective in promoting positive behaviours, we keep our policies and procedures under continuous review.

This Government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy, which will deliver greater flexibility to employers in England, more opportunities for young people, and support the industrial strategy.

In August 2025, we introduced new foundation apprenticeships for young people in targeted sectors as well as shorter duration apprenticeships, and from April 2026 we will introduce new short courses, called apprenticeship units, in critical sectors including artificial intelligence and engineering.

We are expanding foundation apprenticeships into hospitality and retail from April and fully funding SME apprenticeships for eligible 16–24-year-olds from August.

We are also introducing a new incentive of up to £2,000 for SMEs that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. The policy will take effect for those starting apprenticeships from 1 October 2026, as long as they have joined their employer within the past 3 months (i.e. from July 2026).

These measures are backed by record investment, with funding for the growth and skills levy in England increasing to £3.3 billion for the 2026-2027 financial year.

The Pre-referral Quality Check is completed by a Jobcentre Team Leader, deputy, or colleague with the relevant experience.

The Department has a variety of internal performance metrics in place to monitor the quality of our services. We regularly review referrals to ensure they are being delivered consistently and fairly.

Information about the amount of Universal Credit Housing Element expenditure is available by country and financial year here: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2025 - GOV.UK (see the ‘Housing_Benefits’ tab). However, information about Universal Credit Housing Element expenditure by region and local authority for 2025 is not available and to produce this would incur disproportionate cost.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including back pain and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as Connect to Work and WorkWell.

As well as supporting people back into work, it is important that they are supported to successfully remain there. The Keep Britain Working review, published in November 2025, examined how employers can support healthier and more inclusive workplaces. Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed to work in partnership with DWP, DBT and DHSC to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. Over 120 employers and ten regions are working with us through employer-led vanguard sprints, reshaping how health and disability are managed at work.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) problems were one of the leading causes of sickness absence in the UK in 2024. Early detection and prevention, including increasing access to employment advice, can support people with MSK conditions getting into and remaining in work.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including those with back pain and MSK conditions, with their employment journey. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants, as well as Connect to Work and WorkWell.

As well as supporting people back into work, it is important that they are supported to successfully remain there. The Keep Britain Working review, published in November 2025, examined how employers can support healthier and more inclusive workplaces. Sir Charlie Mayfield was appointed to work in partnership with DWP, DBT and DHSC to oversee the implementation of his recommendations. Over 120 employers and ten regions are working with us through employer-led vanguard sprints, reshaping how health and disability are managed at work.

Local authorities have flexibility to determine eligibility for heating‑oil support under the Crisis and Resilience Fund, applying their own discretion to identify the most vulnerable households facing immediate financial difficulties as a result of rising heating‑oil prices.

Local authorities can use a combination of application‑based routes, referrals and their professional judgement to identify individuals in need. National datasets, such as census data, can help local authorities understand where reliance on heating oil is more prevalent and inform local targeting.