Written questions by Snowden.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of covering the insurance costs of employers taking on volunteer workers; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of doing so on the number of people not in employment, education or training.

DWP recognises that there are many benefits to volunteering for individuals, including for those not in employment, education or training. These include gaining new skills, knowledge and experience, improving physical and mental wellbeing, growing confidence and improving a person's CV. We have worked with the Royal Voluntary Service and with a group of charities who make up Shaping the Future with Volunteering to develop a ‘Volunteering Toolkit’ to support DWP operational staff, including work coaches, to connect customers to volunteering opportunities. We also ran a two-week internal communications campaign in Autumn 2024 to raise the profile of volunteering as a step towards work. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) protects employees and others who may be affected by work activities. This includes those volunteering for, or on behalf of an organisation. Employers must include volunteers, as well as employees, in risk assessments to identify significant risks and implement effective control measures. Any further insurance beyond statutory requirements is a commercial decision for an employer.

What recent estimate she has made of the proportion of people not in employment, education, or training who are claiming Universal Credit in the North West.

Statistics on young people claiming UC can be found on DWP Stat Xplore - Stat-Xplore - Log in Statistics on young people who are NEET are produced by DfE and the ONS –Statistics: NEET and participation - GOV.UK and Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK - Office for National Statistics The Get Britain Working White Paper set plans to develop a Youth Guarantee which will ensure 18- to 21-year-olds are earning or learning. An independent investigation has been launched to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training. Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the probe will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun — with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability. The Terms of Reference can be found here.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of suspended child benefit payments on (a) Universal Credit and (b) other means-tested benefits.

No assessment has been made. Child Benefit, administered by His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), is not taken into account as income when calculating a Universal Credit award or other means-tested benefits. It is used to assess benefit levels for the purpose of determining whether to apply the benefit cap which limits the amount of social security benefits a working age household can receive. The benefit cap is applied through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. The Department will continue to work closely with HMRC on all relevant matters.

What recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the suspension of child benefit payments on families also receiving other forms of social security support.

No assessment has been made. Child Benefit, administered by His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC), is not taken into account as income when calculating a Universal Credit award or other means-tested benefits. It is used to assess benefit levels for the purpose of determining whether to apply the benefit cap which limits the amount of social security benefits a working age household can receive. The benefit cap is applied through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. The Department will continue to work closely with HMRC on all relevant matters.

Whether her Department plans to introduce new targeted measures to reduce long-term not in employment, education, or training rates among 18–24-year-olds.

The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.As a first step, we are working with eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers across England which are testing innovative approaches to identify and deliver localised support to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. This includes strengthening local coordination, through local leadership, and outreach to better connect young people with opportunities. We will use the learning from these Trailblazers to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls out across the rest of Great Britain.In addition, the Government is investing £25 million to expand Youth Hubs, which bring together employment support from a Jobcentre work coach and place-based support fromlocal partnerships to help young NEET people into work. This investment will almost double the number of Youth Hubs to over 200 across England, Scotland and Wales over the next three years, ensuring more young people can access personalised, wraparound support in their local communities.The Chancellor has also announced that every eligible young person who has been on Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning will be offered guaranteed paid work. Participants of the scheme will receive support to take advantage of available opportunities, with the aim of helping them transition into regular employment. The scheme forms part of the government’s aim to provide targeted support for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. Further details including eligibility criteria and the structure of placements, will be confirmed at Budget.The above builds on existing DWP labour market support for 16-24-year-olds through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level as part of the Youth Offer. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities. This support includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches for young people with additional barriers to finding work, and Youth Hubs across Great Britain.

How much Lancashire County Council has received in adult skills funding since 1 July 2024.

Lancashire County Council do not receive either Adult Skills Fund (ASF) or Advanced Learner Loans from the Department for Education, nor do they receive an ASF allocation from any Strategic Authorities who have devolved ASF. It should be noted that Lancashire County Council is not the only council in Lancashire, and the other councils may receive an ASF allocation. Funding is not devolved in Lancashire, and therefore providers are directly funded by the Department. Lancashire County Council has received Skills Bootcamps allocations from the Department for Education in Financial Year 24-25 and Financial Year 25-26. The allocated amount for Lancashire in Financial Year 24-25 was £6,442,906, and in Financial Year 25-26 it was £7,034,047.09 (including an element for additional construction). Skills Bootcamps funding allocations: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK The total grant allocated represents the maximum amount allocated. The Department for Education does not expect areas to spend their full allocation. Areas typically spend about 50% to 60% of their allocation due to the payment milestone approach.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of family members claiming Carer’s Allowance on the finances of the disabled people that they care for.

Carer’s Allowance, paid to a family member providing care, can affect a disabled person’s own means-tested benefit award. Family members and disabled people should carefully consider what benefit support best meets their specific circumstances.

What recent progress the Government has made in implementing the British Sign Language Act 2022.

Everyone in our country should have access to important information from the government and should be able to engage with the government on issues that will affect them. That is why it is crucial to make sure that government communications are as inclusive and accessible as possible, including for the Deaf community and British Sign Language (BSL) users. The British Sign Language Act 2022 supports this by creating a greater recognition and understanding of BSL, and requires the government to report on what departments listed in the Act have done to promote or facilitate the use of British Sign Language in their communications with the public. The third BSL report was published on Monday 21 July 2025 and demonstrates an increase in the usage of BSL by government departments in public-facing communications since reporting started in 2023. We will continue to publish a report every year on an annual basis up to 2027, going further than the frequency required by the Act. The next report will be published in July 2026. In addition to overall reporting, each ministerial department has produced a 5 year BSL Plan, setting out how they plan to improve the use of BSL within their departments. These were published alongside the third BSL report in July 2025. Following the passage of the BSL Act, the BSL Advisory board was created to advise the Government on key issues impacting the Deaf community in their everyday life. It is the first dual language board advising the UK Government, and it meets regularly. We will continue to work with the BSL Advisory Board, Deaf people and their representative organisations, and with Ministers across government, including our Lead Ministers for Disability, to continue to make tangible improvements for the Deaf community

What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of the Access to Work scheme for deaf people.

There is a variety of contact methods which customers with hearing loss can utilise. These include textphone, Video Relay Service and email as a reasonable adjustment. Where a customer would like to use email as a method of contact, they should inform the Access to Work team or Case Manager. Details can be found at Access to Work: factsheet for customers - GOV.UK

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the services available at job centres to (a) community organisations and (b) sports groups.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supports customers through our job centre network and a range of venues within local communities such as community centres and sports venues. These services allow DWP to help harder to reach customers in an environment that suits their needs and will be a core principle of the jobs and careers service.

What steps he is taking to ensure short courses in (a) digital, (b) AI and (c) engineering are eligible for Growth and Skills Levy funding from April 2026.

The government wants employers to be able to use the levy on short, flexible training courses to meet their business needs from April 2026. The first wave of these courses will be called apprenticeship units. The initial roll-out will be in priority areas such as artificial intelligence, digital, and engineering, and will be expanded over time to other critical skills needs.

What guidance his Department provides to (a) employers and (b) service providers on making reasonable adjustments for people with (i) misophonia and (ii) other sensory conditions.

All employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ in the workplace where a disabled employee, would otherwise be put at a substantial disadvantage compared with their colleagues. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for enforcing the Equality Act and providing guidance on reasonable adjustments. Employers have a key role to play in supporting workers with long term health conditions or disabilities in the workplace. DWP's current offer to employers includes a digital information service, www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/ which provides tailored guidance to businesses to support employees to remain in work. This includes guidance on health disclosures and having conversations about health, plus guidance on legal obligations, including statutory sick pay and making reasonable adjustments.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of regional variation in uptake of the Connect to Work programme.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

How many (a) GP surgeries and (b) mental health teams have Connect to Work employment advisers embedded in their services.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

What proportion of Connect to Work referrals come from (a) healthcare professionals, (b) local councils, (c) self-referrals and (d) community organisations.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

How many people have participated in the Connect to Work programme since its inception.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

Whether any local authority areas submitted unsuccessful bids for Connect to Work funding during this expansion round.

The Connect to Work programme has been designed with local authorities and is being delivered by local areas. Each local area across all of England and Wales has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Local areas working with their Delivery Partners and DWP are fully responsible for delivery of Connect to Work as outlined in their Delivery Plan.Connect to Work participants are given a dedicated specialist employment support adviser who works alongside them to understand their career goals and help them to address any specific barriers to employment. Connect to Work employment specialists may be integrated into primary and secondary health care settings and other support services to assist individuals with mild to moderate mental and/or physical health conditions. The Connect to Work grant funding is formula based. To access the funding each accountable body has been invited to develop their plan for delivery, reflecting needs across their area. Connect to Work is designed to give local areas considerable flexibility in determining how they deliver Connect to Work locally, including decisions about integration into health care settings. While there is an expectation that employment specialists will work in partnership with health services to support individuals with health-related barriers to work, DWP has not set requirements for the number or type of health care settings in which they must be embedded. This allows local areas to tailor delivery to meet the specific needs of their populations and existing service infrastructure.Local areas are fully responsible for identifying referral routes in their areas. Connect to Work has wide ranging referral routes into the programme, which include primary healthcare, community care and other care settings and through social prescribing together with wider local organisations e.g. Voluntary and Charity Sector services and employers as well as Jobcentre Plus. A breakdown of referral routes for participants is not yet available centrally.The Connect to Work programme has been rolling out and opening across England and Wales throughout this year. As of October 2025, around a third of delivery areas have Connect to Work services already open to participants.For areas that have yet to have their Connect to Work funding confirmed, DWP continues to provide support to help them finalise their delivery plans. We expect these areas to have their services live by spring 2026.Total funding for Connect to Work will reach over £1 billion across England and Wales over the next five years and provide around 300,000 sick or disabled people with help to get into work by the end of the decade.Data is not yet available for the Connect to Work Programme. The Department plan to develop official statistics to support Connect to Work, and updates will be shared via the DWP Statistical Work Programme.

What steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among pensioners of winter fuel payment scams.

DWP, in partnership with Action Fraud, are raising awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams across Facebook and Twitter. This is alongside DWP’s continued work with trusted partners and charities such as Independent Age to ensure accurate and timely information is available. DWP has also developed a recorded message for our telephone lines and issued a press release via GOV.UK to raise awareness of Winter Fuel Payment scams.

Whether any sanctions will apply to young people who decline a work placement under the Youth Guarantee scheme.

DWP is committed to supporting young people to earn and learn. The department provides an extensive range of support for young people, tailored to individual needs. As part of this the Chancellor has announced that DWP will offer a guaranteed job to young people on Universal Credit, who are unemployed for over 18 months. Our aim is to stop long-term unemployment for young people by subsidising a paid work placement so that they can develop their skills and gain valuable work experience. More details on this will be announced at the budget, including whether young people who turn down a suitable job offer could be subject to a sanction.

What recent assessment he has made of the availability of Jobcentre Plus services for people who are in work and seeking (a) alternative employment and (b) career progression.

As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, the Government is committed to building an inclusive and thriving labour market where everyone has the opportunity of good work, and the chance to get on in work. Mandatory work coach support is available for UC claimants in employment with low earnings. UC claimants with employed earnings receive tailored support with their work coach every 8 weeks, which reflects their situation as employees. The work coach will support claimants with either career progression in their current employment or through taking steps to change careers to alternative employment with better prospects of long-term progression. For some claimants (England only), a work coach may also refer to a National Careers Adviser for more in-depth discussions about career information, advice, or guidance. For claimants with higher earnings, they may also seek work coach support on a voluntary basis. The Jobs and Careers Service will support individuals including people in employment and not claiming benefits to make informed choices about their careers including helping them to boost their skills as well as helping them move into higher paid, higher quality and more productive work.