Lord Mohammed of Tinsley

In a written statement on 15 May 2025, the Secretary of State announced an investment of over £145 million in 2025/26 in youth programmes, to provide stability to the youth sector as we transition to a new National Youth Strategy.

The package of funding includes £79.4 million of the reprofiled Youth Investment Fund. The allocation of £59.3 million of capital and £20.1 million of revenue funding will ensure the successful delivery of new and refurbished youth facilities scheduled for completion in 2025/26. This includes the pipeline of 25 Modern Methods of Construction projects.

The Youth Investment Fund is a targeted fund aimed at youth services in some of the less advantaged areas of England. The eligible areas were identified and ranked using a combination of publicly available data for youth need and low provision.

In a written statement on 15 May 2025, the Secretary of State announced an investment of over £145 million in 2025/26 in youth programmes, to provide stability to the youth sector as we transition to a new National Youth Strategy, which includes funding for grassroots youth organisations. Further details on individual programmes will be shared in due course.

Additionally, on 2nd June we announced £132.5 million of Dormant Assets Funding will be allocated to support the provision of services, facilities or opportunities to meet the needs of young people. This will increase disadvantaged young people’s access to enrichment opportunities in the arts, culture, sports and wider youth services, aimed at improving wellbeing and employability.

Following the recent spending review, future funding commitments will be dependent on the Business Planning process.

We conduct and commission a number of robust evaluations, surveys and research projects to assess the effectiveness of government-funded youth programmes. Each evaluation follows Central Government guidance for evaluation detailed in the Magenta Book. Monitoring and evaluation is embedded into programme design and youth evaluations explore a variety of questions, often including the impact of programmes and their effectiveness. Progress in delivering evaluations is reported as part of youth programme governance structures and evaluation reports are published on GOV.UK.

We acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports. That is why this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector. The new National Youth Strategy is being co-produced with cross-sector input from stakeholders working with and for young people, particularly drawing on the connections and expertise of the youth sector. We have run engagement sessions in partnership with a range of services, to ensure the strategy can advise and support the youth sector effectively.

This strategy will aim to better coordinate youth services, as well as move away from one-size-fits all approaches from central government, bringing power back to young people and their communities and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector.

We will be publishing the strategy in the autumn.

This Government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives. We know that youth workers are vital to these services, building trusted relationships and creating safe spaces for young people. We also, however, acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports. That is why this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector. The Strategy will be published in the autumn.

DCMS will invest £145 million in youth programmes in 2025-26, which is consistent with funding in 24/25. This investment will provide stability to the youth sector and ensure young people can access opportunities, as we transition to the National Youth Strategy.

We have commissioned research to assess the impact of reductions of youth services, including the 2023 ‘Youth Provision and Life Outcomes research’ which aimed to understand the impact youth clubs have on local areas.