Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 7 December (HL3726), how much time is each work coach assigned to a young person.

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 regime. This includes intensive support during the first 13 weeks of a claim through the Youth Employment Programme, and access to Youth Employability Coaches (YECs) who are helping young people overcome complex barriers to employment, as well as offering 6 weeks of in-work support once they move into work. YECs also work closely alongside Disability Employment Advisors to support those with disabilities and health conditions, and partner organisations who can provide specialist advice.

The aim of the 13-week Youth Employment Programme is to help claimants access opportunities to move them closer, and into work, including work experience placements, Sector-based Work Academy Programmes, traineeships, apprenticeships, and equivalent opportunities in Scotland and Wales. Participants will see a Work Coach on a weekly basis for the duration of the Programme with additional time at week 2 for a Skills Review and a Progress Review at week 11.

At the end of the 13 weeks claimants will continue to receive support through the core Jobcentre offer with the frequency and length of interventions determined by the individual circumstances of the claimant, the duration of their claim, and the level of support required at that particular time.

The Youth Offer also provides a network of Youth Hubs in locations across Great Britain. The Hubs are co-located and co-delivered in partnership with local providers and provide place-based support to the help young people in the community move into work.