Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the National Careers Service at providing young people with a broad range of career paths.

The Government regularly assesses the effectiveness of careers guidance for young people, including the role of the National Careers Service (NCS). While the NCS primarily focuses on adults, it also provides support to young people aged 13 and over.

According to the 2025 National Careers Service customer satisfaction and progression survey, 97% of young people surveyed aged 18–24 reported gaining some form of Personal Added Value, such as increased confidence, motivation, and a clearer understanding of their next steps, following contact with the service.

This support for young people complements that provided by schools and colleges, which are legally responsible for securing independent careers guidance for all 11- to 18-year-olds.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new Jobs and Careers Service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. Our new service will move away from the current one size fits all approach, recognising people are individuals with different support needs and will provide better tailored support. The new service will be universal and must work for everyone, including young people.