Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of integrated strategies which connect mental health services and skills training to employment support for young people.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The integration of services for young people is a key Government priority. We continue to assess how best to strengthen links between employment support, skills provision and mental health services. That is why we have announced the expansion of Youth Hubs to every area of Great Britian.
Youth Hubs are community‑based spaces where DWP Work Coaches work alongside local partners, such as colleges, local authorities, employers, youth organisations, and mental health providers, to deliver joined‑up support for 16–24-year-olds in one location outside of the job centre. We have also announced that all Youth Hubs will operate to a national minimum service blueprint, which sets out the core offer every young person should be able to access. This includes employment and skills support, links to wider training, mental health and wellbeing provision, housing and homelessness support, and strong employer engagement. The blueprint ensures consistency while allowing flexibility to tailor services to local needs
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Department will provide a projection of how many people will gain (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment after their placement on the Youth Guarantee scheme.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the Youth Guarantee we are breaking the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing paid work for every eligible 18-21 year old who has been on Universal Credit, looking for work, for 18 months. This will give young people their first step on the ladder, with wraparound support to develop skills and gain experience needed for the move in to sustained jobs.
Wherever possible we want the young person to be able to secure a sustained job and continue in employment, either with the same employer or a new employer. That’s why we are providing funding for wraparound support to ensure that young people are supported into work, in their job and as they transition off the scheme.
Young people will also benefit from the c300,000 additional opportunities for workplace experience and training we’re funding through the Youth Guarantee. We will create up to 150,000 additional work experience placements and up to 145,000 additional bespoke training opportunities designed in partnership with employers, known as Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs). At the end of each SWAP, employers offer a guaranteed job interview to participants.
The Department has commissioned an evaluation of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to build evidence on how the program improves employment outcomes, economic inactivity, participation in education and training, and systems integration. The Department will continue to monitor the outcomes of young people participating in the Youth Guarantee nationally, and a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.
Asked by: Wendy Morton (Conservative - Aldridge-Brownhills)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 8 December 2025 on Support for Young People, HCWS1137, what steps he is taking to ensure that expanded Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in West Midlands growth sectors such as logistics, automotive, retail and health lead to genuine employment progression; and if he will publish West Midlands-specific data on completion rates and subsequent job offers.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP’s Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs) – which offer training, work experience and a job interview to DWP customers seeking work – help employers with immediate and future employment needs by upskilling benefit claimants to fill local job vacancies. Jobcentres work with local employers and training providers to establish SWAPs in a wide range of sectors including logistics, automotive, retail and health.
As evidenced by the SWAP Impact Assessment (Sector-based Work Academy Programme: A Quantitative Impact Assessment - GOV.UK), SWAPs have been proven to increase the time participants spend in employment. The positive impact of SWAPs on employment outcomes is consistent across all regions including West Midlands.
From April 2026, the Youth Guarantee will increase the number of SWAPs available so that more jobseekers, particularly young people, can take advantage of the employment support offered.
We publish data on SWAP starts and outcomes on a quarterly basis. This includes the number of starts broken down by Local Authority, by Region and by Sector. Outcomes data was published for the first time this year and shows the proportion of SWAP starts with earnings at 6 and 9 months, by month of start, and the average monthly earnings at 6 and 9 months for those with earnings in that period, by month of start. The latest publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sector-based-work-academy-programmes-swaps-management-information-april-2021-to-september-2025. The next release is due to be published in January 2026.
Asked by: Helen Whately (Conservative - Faversham and Mid Kent)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has been made of the potential impact of the (a) the Youth Guarantee and (b) the Government’s new scheme for under-25s on the workload of employers.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 – around one in eight - are currently Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET). To tackle this crisis of opportunity, the government has expanded the Youth Guarantee.
The Government is investing £820 million over the Spending Review period in the Youth Guarantee, to reach almost 900,000 young people, including through Youth Hubs in every area in Great Britain and a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, offering a dedicated session and follow-up support to 16-24 –year-olds on Universal Credit. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training and provide guaranteed jobs to around 55,000 young people aged 18-21.
The Department has commissioned an evaluation of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to build evidence on how the program improves employment outcomes, economic inactivity, participation in education and training, and systems integration.
The Department will continue to monitor the outcomes of young people participating in the Youth Guarantee nationally, and a full process evaluation of the Jobs Guarantee is planned.
Employers are integral to the success of the Youth Guarantee, and we will be working closely with Youth Guarantee supporters and partners who choose to access DWP’s employer commitment. Employers will benefit from a tailored support service to help fill vacancies with Jobcentre candidates, including job description support, faster recruitment, vacancy promotion, use of Jobcentre space for interviews, access to the free Find a Job site, and expert advice from a dedicated Recruitment Manager.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has conducted an equality impact assessment for the increase in employer National Insurance contributions.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
The Government is firmly committed to supporting women to enter, stay and progress in work, tackling gender pay gaps and ensuring women can reach their full potential in the labour market. To help make work pay for mothers in particular, we are improving access to affordable childcare through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme and 30 hours of funded childcare a week.
The Government is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. That is why we are delivering a Youth Guarantee, backed by £820m over the Spending Review period. This includes providing guaranteed paid work placements to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months, granting an opportunity for young people to gain essential skills and experience and prevent the damaging effects of long-term unemployment. The Youth Guarantee will also create nearly 300,000 additional work experience and training opportunities, further expand Youth Hubs to every local area of Great Britain, and increase investment to prevent young people from falling out of education, employment or training in future.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on young people seeking employment.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
The Government is firmly committed to supporting women to enter, stay and progress in work, tackling gender pay gaps and ensuring women can reach their full potential in the labour market. To help make work pay for mothers in particular, we are improving access to affordable childcare through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme and 30 hours of funded childcare a week.
The Government is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. That is why we are delivering a Youth Guarantee, backed by £820m over the Spending Review period. This includes providing guaranteed paid work placements to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months, granting an opportunity for young people to gain essential skills and experience and prevent the damaging effects of long-term unemployment. The Youth Guarantee will also create nearly 300,000 additional work experience and training opportunities, further expand Youth Hubs to every local area of Great Britain, and increase investment to prevent young people from falling out of education, employment or training in future.
Asked by: Mims Davies (Conservative - East Grinstead and Uckfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions on female employees.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer NICs. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
The Government is firmly committed to supporting women to enter, stay and progress in work, tackling gender pay gaps and ensuring women can reach their full potential in the labour market. To help make work pay for mothers in particular, we are improving access to affordable childcare through the Tax-Free Childcare scheme and 30 hours of funded childcare a week.
The Government is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. That is why we are delivering a Youth Guarantee, backed by £820m over the Spending Review period. This includes providing guaranteed paid work placements to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months, granting an opportunity for young people to gain essential skills and experience and prevent the damaging effects of long-term unemployment. The Youth Guarantee will also create nearly 300,000 additional work experience and training opportunities, further expand Youth Hubs to every local area of Great Britain, and increase investment to prevent young people from falling out of education, employment or training in future.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of British industrial capacity on young people’s future employment and skills opportunities.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our modern Industrial Strategy focuses on eight sectors with the greatest potential to raise national levels of investment and productivity, spread prosperity to all parts of the country, make us all more secure, and seize the opportunities of net zero. The Strategy sets out our plans to deliver more opportunities for people at all stages of life, including young people, to learn and earn in our high-growth sectors. Additionally, we are investing £820 million for the Youth Guarantee meaning young people aged 16-24 are set to benefit from further support into employment and learning, and also announced a £725 million investment to deliver more apprenticeships for young people and help match skills training with local job opportunities.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Leicester (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they will ensure the jobs created for the Youth Guarantee scheme for 18-to-21-year-olds on Universal Credit are genuinely new roles which would not otherwise have been advertised.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Jobs Guarantee will provide six months of paid employment for every eligible 18 to 21-year-old who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months. The scheme will break the cycle of unemployment by guaranteeing meaningful paid employment opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.
Appropriate requirements will be built into the scheme, with guidance provided to those delivering the jobs guarantee to ensure that opportunities are high quality, fair and deliver the intended outcomes for young people. In phase one, the Department will deliver over 1000 job starts across six areas in the first six months. To achieve this, we will work with local employers to create a range of high-quality job opportunities.
We will provide more detail on the scheme in due course.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what modelling her Department has done on the potential impact of a UK–EU youth mobility scheme on (a) employment levels, (b) productivity, and (c) economic growth.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government has agreed that it will work towards the establishment of a balanced youth experience scheme with the EU, which will be good for the economy, good for growth and good for business.
The impact of a youth experience scheme will be appropriately analysed and will depend on the parameters that are ultimately agreed. We will not provide an assessment of the impacts while negotiations are ongoing.