Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help reduce age-related barriers in recruitment practices.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that young people face additional barriers, with almost one million currently not in education, employment or training. At Budget 2025, the Government committed over £1.5 billion to improve youth participation, including £820 million for the Youth Guarantee and £725 million for the Growth and Skills Levy. Further details of the announcement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament. We have also commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will seek to understand the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training and to investigate the root causes of this rise in economic inactivity
We also work with employers nationally to recognise the value of older workers and promote age inclusive recruitment and retention. We encourage participation in initiatives such as the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge and provide tailored support to employers to embed flexible working, age positive hiring approaches, and accessible career development. This includes helping employers create recruitment models that attract older jobseekers by promoting flexible job design, return-to-work schemes, and targeted recruitment campaigns. Alongside our work with employers, we support jobseekers through our network of Jobcentres and contracted employment programmes. This includes specific support for eligible older workers including Additional Work Coach Time and Midlife MOTs, which provide an opportunity to review health, finances and skills and signpost to suitable support. There is also a digital Midlife MOT available to everyone
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the rights of older workers in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme constituency and (b) Staffordshire.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The government’s Plan to Make Work Pay will strengthen employment rights for people, at all stages of their working lives, boosting fairness and equality in the workplace. Measures in the Employment Right’s Bill to make it easier to access flexible working may help older workers balance their work with changes in their personal circumstances. The existing right to one week of unpaid carer’s leave from day one may help older workers manage work and care commitments. The government is currently reviewing the implementation of unpaid Carer’s Leave, including examining the potential benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave, while being mindful of the cost and impact on small employers.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to encourage retraining into hospitality careers for older workers.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We know that work helps everyone, including older people, play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement.
DWP delivers Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which are fully funded by government and offer training, work experience and a guaranteed job interview to those ready to start a job, as well as those who are seeking to retrain and change career. DWP’s Strategic Relationship Team (SRT) and the local Employment Advisers (EAs) based in jobcentres work together to engage with employers to support these SWAPs. Building on our relationships with national employers, SRT continues to expand its current network to more employers in key sectors such as hospitality where there is a critical demand for workers.
EAs can help employers write job descriptions, promote vacancies in job centres, help select and interview priority candidates, invite employers to local recruitment events to promote their vacancies, and help plan recruitment campaigns.
DWP are focusing on the hospitality sector by delivering a hospitality SWAP pilot, launched in partnership with the trade body UKHospitality. This pilot is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity, including 13 coastal towns such as Scarborough and Blackpool. As part of the pilot, participants are supported to gain accreditation for a digital Hospitality Skills Passport, which is designed to provide proof that they are qualified to perform their job effectively and safely, giving them a universal entry standard into the sector.
In the last financial year, there were 5,620 SWAP starts in hospitality, which have helped people of all ages gain the relevant skills to move into work. Research has found that all demographics considered benefitted from taking part in a SWAP and that SWAPs had a greater impact improving employment outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged groups, including older claimants.
Employers and training providers in the hospitality sector who are interested in offering SWAP opportunities can contact their local Jobcentre Plus Group Partnership Manager. A contact list is available on GOV.UK at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-partnerships/national-partnership-teams.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage active pensioners to work beyond retirement age.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Now that the default retirement age has been abolished, most people can work for as long as they want to and are able. Our concept of ageing in the workforce and retirement must move with the times as the population demographics change and we have an increasingly older workforce. We know that work helps people to play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. The Department is committed to supporting older workers through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility, and progression. This includes promoting age-inclusive practices, supporting workplace health, policy and service reform and removing age related barriers to employment. The Department has also signed up to and actively promotes the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, encouraging employers to adopt flexible working, age-positive hiring, and career development.
Most people do not pay National Insurance contributions once they reach State Pension age, even if they continue working and individuals can continue to receive their State Pension in full, regardless of how much they earn from employment or self-employment. This can make employment more financially attractive for older workers.
By removing financial disincentives and promoting flexible working opportunities, the Government aims to ensure that those who wish to work longer can do so in a way that suits their circumstances.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to promote initiatives to help reskill older workers without IT skills.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions currently offers support for those out of work, including older jobseekers, through its network of Jobcentres and through contracted employment programmes.
Where a work coach becomes aware that a customer lacks digital skills, they can refer them to suitable provision for example, Foundation Digital Skills, and then onto Essential Digital Skills. In addition, work coaches and employers are supported by 50PLUS Champions working across all 37 Jobcentre Districts. 50PLUS Champions act as enablers, working collaboratively to strengthen the support available to customers over the age of 50. Examples of personalised activities that Champions organise for older jobseekers include digital awareness sessions and confidence building. Through Midlife MOT reviews, delivered in Jobcentres across the UK and the digital MOT online, we also support older people to review their health, finances and skills.
The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new Jobs and Careers Service that will enable everyone, including the over 50s, to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in their careers. This includes an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice. The new service across Great Britain will be universal and
available to anyone who wants to look for work, increase their earnings, re-train, upskill, or change their career.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle age discrimination in the workplace.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government acknowledges the key role employers play in helping older individuals to remain in or re-enter the workforce, and the importance of embracing policies conducive to this support. The 2010 Equality Act provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment, rendering it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees or job applicants based on age.
We know that work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. The Department is committed to supporting older workers through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility, and progression. This includes promoting age-inclusive practices, supporting workplace health, policy and service reform and removing age related barriers to employment. The Department has also signed up to and actively promotes the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, encouraging employers to adopt flexible working, age-positive hiring, and career development.
Our new Jobs and Careers service will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings. The Jobs and Careers Service will incorporate principles of accessibility and inclusivity, acknowledging diverse support needs, including those of older individuals.
We also asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent “Keep Britain Working” review as a part of the plan to Get Britain Working. In recognition of employer's vital role, his review is considering recommendations to support and enable employers to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. This includes the perspectives of older people themselves, as well as input from organisations like the Centre for Ageing Better. Recommendations are expected in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Lauren Edwards (Labour - Rochester and Strood)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support older people to remain in work.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government knows that work helps everyone play active and fulfilling roles in society while building financial security for retirement. The Department is therefore committed to supporting older workers through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility, and progression. This includes promoting age-inclusive practices, supporting workplace health, policy and service reform and removing age related barriers to employment. The Department has also signed up to and actively promotes the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge, encouraging employers to adopt flexible working, age-positive hiring, and career development.
Our Jobs and Careers service will enable everyone to access support to find good, meaningful work, and help them progress in work or increase their earnings. The Jobs and Careers Service will incorporate principles of accessibility and inclusivity, acknowledging diverse support needs, including those of older individuals.
The Government also acknowledges the key role employers play in helping older individuals to remain in the workforce, and the importance of embracing policies conducive to this support. In recognition of employer's vital role, we have asked Sir Charlie Mayfield to lead an independent ‘Keep Britain Working’ review. This review is considering recommendations to support and enable employers to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. This includes the perspectives of older people themselves, as well as input from organisations like the Centre for Ageing Better. Recommendations are expected in autumn 2025.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to support employment opportunities for people aged over 25.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This Government is committed to supporting everyone to get into and on in work. In addition to delivering a Youth Guarantee, the Get Britain Working White Paper and Pathways to Work Green Paper set out ambitious reforms to employment support that will benefit people aged over 25: a new Jobs and Careers Service, with an enhanced focus on skills and careers; and targeted support to reduce health related economic inactivity. Specific DWP programmes and initiatives that support employment opportunities for people aged over 25 also include:
These measures form part of the Department’s broader strategy to reduce economic inactivity and boost workforce participation, ensuring that adults over 25 receive targeted and practical support to enter and progress in work.
Asked by: Sarah Bool (Conservative - South Northamptonshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for older workers in rural areas seeking to return to employment.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is reforming jobcentres to better match people with the right jobs and provide employment skills, and career support to individuals including older workers and those in rural areas.
Design elements of the new National Jobs and Careers Service will be tested to develop a service that is effective for local areas, individuals, and employers. The service will cover Great Britain and will adapt to operate differently in each locality to accommodate local systems and needs, including rural regions and reflecting devolution settlements in Scotland and Wales.
DWP currently offers tailored employment support through Jobcentres, including a review of health finances and skills for eligible over 50’s on Universal credit, with an online offer available to all. Our network of 50plus Champions drive localised activity through Jobcentres. In rural communities this includes adapting delivery of employment support, to ensure attendees in rural communities can access information, training courses and job opportunities.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication of polling data on 11 April by Christians Against Poverty, The inequality of poverty, what steps they are taking to address the higher incidence of deficit household budgets among adults of ethnic minorities compared to white adults.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is committed to tackling poverty and supporting people into good work will be the foundation of our approach. We are committed to creating a more equal society and supporting economic growth. Talent is widely distributed, and opportunity is not. We are tackling this through our Growth and Opportunity Missions and our £240 million Get Britan Working package to improve support for people who are economically inactive, unemployed or want to develop their careers. The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out details of reforms to employment support to create an inclusive labour market in which everybody, regardless of their background, can participate and progress in work. Further measures addressing inequality are included within the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, and the Employment Rights Bill.
Alongside this, the Child Poverty Taskforce is continuing its urgent work and is exploring all available levers, including considering social security reforms, to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. Tackling poverty means helping those that need help most and these are often those with protected characteristics. In developing individual policies that contribute to the Strategy, departments do have regard to equalities impacts.
Our plan to Make Work Pay, including increases to the National Living Wage benefiting over three million workers, will help more people stay in work, make work more secure and family-friendly, and put more money in working people's pockets. Women, younger and older workers, workers with a disability, and workers from ethnic minority backgrounds are expected to benefit the most from the April 2025 increases to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage in April 2025.
The Fair Repayment Rate will mean more than a million households retain more of their award to meet essential living costs. We will also improve the adequacy of the standard allowance with the first sustained above inflation rise in the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced. This increase, announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, will be for new and existing customers and will benefit millions of people.
To further support struggling households, we have provided funding of £742 million to extend the Household Support Fund from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 in England, plus additional funding for the Devolved Governments.