Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government is taking steps to expand access to apprenticeships specifically among young people from white working-class backgrounds.

This government is transforming the apprenticeships levy into a new growth and skills levy in England, backed by £1 billion of additional investment, which will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, give employers greater flexibility to develop the workforce they need, and support the industrial strategy.

To expand opportunities for young people, we are now fully funding apprenticeships for eligible young people aged under 25 and introducing a £2,000 hiring payment for non-levy paying employers (who are typically SMEs) that recruit apprentices aged under 25 from October.

Alongside this, we are introducing a targeted bursary worth up to £4,500 to support access to apprenticeships for the small number of Universal Credit households that would otherwise be financially worse off when a young person starts an apprenticeship, so that no young person is discouraged from undertaking one.

The government also facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 3,000 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships, including in schools and colleges.