Unemployment: People with Autism

Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest Excerpts

Thursday 25th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

I am grateful to my noble friend and will be delighted to talk to him about examples and take them back to the department. He is right to focus on the importance of supporting employers; there are many who want to do the right thing but may not know how best to do it. Business-to-business mentoring can be key, and my noble friend will perhaps be reassured to know that we are exploring the benefits of business-to-business mentoring as part of our regional Vanguard employer work as part of Keep Britain Working. In the meantime, the Disability Confident scheme encourages collaboration between employers, including peer-to-peer learning; and connect to work, our specialist voluntary supported employment programme, works directly with employers to help secure and sustain jobs. My noble friend is absolutely right to push on this area.

[Baroness Monckton of Dallington Forest (Con)]

My Lords, I declare my interest as chairman of Team Domenica. The Alan Milburn review on young people and employment states that for every £25 spent on benefits, £1 is spent on supporting employment. The Access to Work supported internship scheme, which was for 39 weeks, has been reduced to 26 weeks. This does not give people with autism and learning disabilities enough time to learn the skills they need to get into employment. Will the Minister consider reinstating the 39-week programme?

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is absolutely right to focus on support. Alan Milburn made the point very strongly about the need—across the system, not just in employment—to engage with support and early prevention work rather than just dealing with the outcomes of inactivity among young people. Access to Work is an incredibly valued and supported programme. We are looking at how to reform it. I can write to her with the details, but there was not a decision taken to reduce its length across the board; it was simply that what should have been an occasional extension had become more broad. We are looking to ensure that it ends up doing the right thing to support people. The work on supported internships is really well valued, and Access to Work does incredibly well in supporting people across hundreds of colleges to engage in work experience. For all young people, real work experience in a real workplace is the best way to help them get into work, and we are committed to that.