Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter from Baroness Stedman-Scott to all members of the House of Lords on 22 November, what additional measures they are putting in place to help young people find employment during the "economic challenges we are facing".

The Department for Work and Pensions’ Youth Offer is providing individually tailored work coach support to young people aged 16-24 who are in the Universal Credit Intensive Work Search group.

This includes intensive support during the first 13 weeks of a claim through the Youth Employment Programme and a network of Youth Hubs across Great Britain that provide place-based support in partnerships with local providers to help young people into work. The Youth Offer also provides Youth Employability Coaches who support young people facing additional barriers (such as homelessness, addiction, and other complex needs) as well as offering 6 weeks of in-work support once the young person secures a job or an apprenticeship. Youth Employability Coaches also work closely with Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions, and partner organisations who can provide specialist advice.

Departments are aligning their support across Government to help young people access high quality training and apprenticeship opportunities, as well as preparing them to take advantage of new jobs created in existing and growing sectors.

For example, DWP and DfE officials continue to work together on the key areas of improving local skills provision and maximising awareness of skills opportunities in England. This includes taking steps to enhance the quality and joining up of services through Work Coaches and National Careers Service Advisors.

To help young people who are already in work and on low incomes to progress, we are extending the support Jobcentres provide to help them increase their earnings and move into better paid, quality jobs. As mentioned in the letter, the nationwide roll-out of the In-Work Progression offer will focus on removing barriers to progression, such as addressing skills gaps.