Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to enable people aged 16 to 24 who are (a) not universal credit claimants and (b) at risk of unemployment to undertake work placements as part of the Kickstart scheme.

The Kickstart Scheme offers six-month jobs for young people aged 16 to 24 years’ old who are currently claiming Universal Credit (UC) and are at risk of long-term unemployment. There are no current plans to extend the eligibility criteria of the Kickstart Scheme.

For those not eligible to claim UC, they can still receive help from our DWP Youth Hubs who work with a range of local providers to help them address and overcome any barriers and support them in moving forward into employment.