Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to tackle youth unemployment.

This government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. We have recently committed a further £1 billion investment in young people, taking total additional investment into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

This includes the delivery of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England and the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 areas across Great Britain. We are also introducing expanded support for young people looking for work on Universal Credit, providing tailored employment support and a structured path into a job, apprenticeship, work experience, Sector-based Work Academy Programme (an employed-led intervention, with Jobcentres supporting claimants to get the training and experience needed ahead of a guaranteed job interview for a real vacancy), learning or training from their first appointment in the Jobcentre. This will include a dedicated Youth Guarantee Gateway meeting if a young person is not already earning or learning by week 13, followed by 4 additional weeks of intensive support to ensure young people take up work, training or learning opportunities. We will also prioritise prevention – improving support in schools, access to work experience and further education places.

Within the up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, this investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers who hire 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship incentive for small and medium sized employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

Together these measures demonstrate the Government’s commitment to improving employment opportunities for young people, while supporting employers, and working with partners across Great Britain to create clear pathways into employment and education for young people.