Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the potential effects of reduced youth work funding on youth centres, employment of youth workers, and the availability of safe spaces for young people.

This Government recognises the transformative role that youth services play in young people’s lives. We know that youth workers are vital to these services, building trusted relationships and creating safe spaces for young people. We also, however, acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the changing needs of the young people it supports. That is why this government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector. The Strategy will be published in the autumn.

DCMS will invest £145 million in youth programmes in 2025-26, which is consistent with funding in 24/25. This investment will provide stability to the youth sector and ensure young people can access opportunities, as we transition to the National Youth Strategy.

We have commissioned research to assess the impact of reductions of youth services, including the 2023 ‘Youth Provision and Life Outcomes research’ which aimed to understand the impact youth clubs have on local areas.