Oral Answers to Questions

Lewis Cocking Excerpts

Monday 12th May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Sir Stephen Timms]

That is an important concern. As my hon. Friend knows, we are determined to open up opportunities for people who have been out of work, often for a long time, on health and disability grounds, and to give them the chance to get into work through much better employment support. However, we recognise that there will be people who will never be able to work. Under the proposals for claims for the new universal credit health element, from next April, a higher payment will protect those with the most severe lifelong conditions that have no prospect of improvement, and who will never be able to work. Eligibility for that will be through the work capability assessment conditions criteria.

[Lewis Cocking (Broxbourne) (Con)]

How is the Minister working with the Department for Education to ensure that when young people leave education, they have the skills they need to thrive in the world of work?

[The Minister for Employment (Alison McGovern)]

I refer the hon. Gentleman to some of the responses we have already given. The DWP and the DFE are working together closely as we change apprenticeships and change our jobcentres to ensure that the opportunities are there. Having met the hon. Gentleman, I know that his constituency is full of opportunities for young people, and we want to ensure that they get them.