Tag: Department for Work and Pensions

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 15 June 2026.

• Thousands of young people across the country are set to receive employment, education or training support as almost 180 new Youth Hub locations are confirmed.
• Areas including Inverclyde, St Albans and Cardiff will see new hubs open in local sports clubs, libraries and other venues at the heart of the community– bringing support out of the jobcentre to meet young people where they are.
• Youth Hubs are central to the Government’s once-in-a-generation drive to tackle youth unemployment, backed by £2.5 billion investment.

Thousands of young people across Great Britain will benefit from access to expanded employment and wrap-around support services as the locations of almost 180 new Youth Hubs are confirmed this morning [15 June 2026].

The rollout forms part of a national expansion of Youth Hubs to over 360 areas with the aim that a young person is no more than one hour away from a Youth Hub by public transport.

This will ensure that vital support, delivered in the community, is available to even more young people, making local support services accessible, no matter where they live.

From football clubs to colleges and libraries, the hubs bring together local mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities as well as careers guidance and work opportunities with links to local employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.

Confirmation of the next wave of Youth Hubs came shortly after Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited a youth point – the Dutch equivalent of Youth Hubs – during a fact-finding trip to the Netherlands, which has one of the world’s lowest NEET rates.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

We want to make sure young people are getting real, personalised support, that’s not one size fits all. I’ve seen how it can change lives.

Our Youth Hubs have over the past two years pioneered this approach – bringing job centre services together with mental health support, housing advice and more.

I want to turbocharge this rollout so that every young person has this support within reach that can help them move into learning or earning.

Yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary visited the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub, located in the Feldy Community Centre, where he met young people who are currently receiving personalised guidance to allow them to move into employment and training. The Secretary of State heard from young people who have already been helped by the Hub, and how the range of support offered will be central to them moving forward.

Tanzeem Ahmed, Assistant Director of Employment and Training at Poplar HARCA, said:

We’re proud to launch the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub at the Feldy Centre in Poplar this June, supporting local young people to move into work, training or volunteering.

This welcoming, community-based space brings together personalised support – from CV writing and job applications to accredited training and wellbeing advice – helping young people build confidence and skills.

By working with partners like Jobcentre Plus, we’re removing barriers and creating clear, positive pathways into employment for local young people.

Since opening in May 2026, The Tower Hamlets Youth Hub has established itself as an exemplary Youth Hub, working with local stakeholder and partners to ensure a joined-up approach, bringing together access to mental health, wellbeing, employment and skills support for local young people.

Over the next three years, the Government is expanding its network of Youth Hubs to over 360 local areas across Great Britain. This will connect every 16-to-24-year-old across the country and provide themreal opportunities in their local area, ensuring each person has access to high-quality, wide-ranging support to move towards learning or earning.

Our new Youth Hubs will meet young people where they are, in football stadiums and community venues across Britain, giving them access to housing support, mental health help and a clear pathway into work or training, exactly as Alan Milburn recommended.

Youth Hubs are a key part of the £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and come alongside changes to the Growth and Skills Levy which aim to refocus the skills system towards people at the start of their working life.

The government is also supporting businesses to hire young workers with a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for every 18- to 24-year-old hired who has been on Universal Credit for six months, while a £2,000 apprenticeship incentive is available for each new employee aged 16 to 24 taken on by a small business.

Ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn through the government’s Youth Guarantee and turning the tide on the nation’s high NEET rate is essential to driving the nation’s plan for growth.

Additional information

The DWP will now work with local authorities and partner organisations to identify the best locations for the hubs.

Youth Hubs may open ahead of the roll out schedule detailed below subject to local readiness.

Hubs opened in Year One (since announcement in March 2026):

England

Wandsworth, Stockton-on-Tees, Bromley, Bracknell Forest, Guildford, Swindon, Crawley, Reigate and Banstead, Sefton, West Berkshire, Derby, Tower Hamlets, Thanet, Knowsley, Leicester.

Scotland

South Lanarkshire

Wales

Carmarthenshire (Llanelli), Rhondda Cynon Taf, Neath Port Talbot, Caerphilly.

Hubs scheduled to open in Year Two :

England:

Norwich, East Suffolk, Cannock Chase, Greenwich, Ashford, North Northamptonshire, East Staffordshire, Thurrock, North East Derbyshire, Rother, North Devon, Harlow, Maidstone, Lincoln, Bedford, Torridge, Chorley, Milton Keynes, Arun, North Warwickshire, Cheshire West and Chester, Dartford, Breckland, Gedling, East Riding of Yorkshire, High Peak, North Norfolk, South Holland, South Ribble, Somerset, North Somerset, Stevenage, Havering, Slough, Fylde, Melton, West Northamptonshire, Castle Point, Teignbridge, Stafford, Lancaster, South Derbyshire, Canterbury, South Kesteven, Lewes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire East, Braintree, West Lancashire, Mid Devon, Colchester, North West Leicestershire, Redbridge, Hillingdon, Broxtowe, Bexley, Dacorum, Wychavon, Camden, Malvern Hills, South Staffordshire, Reading, Watford, North Yorkshire, Sutton, Southwark, Dorset, Rugby, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Tewkesbury, Merton, Kensington and Chelsea, Forest of Dean, Broxbourne.

Scotland

Angus, Inverclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, Highland, East Lothian, Argyll and Bute, Perth and Kinross, Moray

Wales Vale of Glamorgan, Flintshire, Cardiff, Powys, Monmouthshire, Gwynedd

Hubs Schedules for Year Three:

England

Lichfield, New Forest, Hinckley and Bosworth, Rushmoor, West Suffolk, Hertsmere, Central Bedfordshire, Staffordshire Moorlands, North Kesteven, Cheltenham, Adur, Rochford, Wiltshire, South Norfolk, Chelmsford, Eastleigh, Huntingdonshire, Test Valley, Bromsgrove, Tonbridge and Malling, North Hertfordshire, Wealden, Welwyn Hatfield, Tunbridge Wells, Cherwell, East Devon, Mid Suffolk, Oadby and Wigston, Fareham, Broadland, Sevenoaks, York, Maldon, Exeter, Derbyshire Dales, Charnwood, Blaby, Vale of White Horse, Stroud, West Devon, Babergh, South Gloucestershire, Harrow, Bath and North East Somerset, East Cambridgeshire, Stratford-upon-Avon, West Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Epsom and Ewell, South Hams, Epping Forest, Chichester, Warwick, Runnymede, Tandridge, Winchester, Brentwood, Harborough, Three Rivers, East Hampshire, St Albans, Cotswold, Horsham, Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, Rushcliffe, East Hertfordshire, Mid Sussex, Ribble Valley, South Oxfordshire, Wokingham, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Uttlesford, Hart, Rutland, Waverley, City of London.

Scotland

Stirling, City of Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

Wales

Ceredigion

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 15 June 2026.

Thousands of jobseekers could be supported into a new career as the government joins forces with LinkedIn to bolster careers advice.

• Landmark partnership between LinkedIn and the Government reflects that the ‘job for life’ has given way to career mobility.
• Anonymised data from LinkedIn’s pool of 40 million UK accounts will help the DWP have the best possible data within the Jobs and Careers Service. 
• This comes as government brings forward the biggest employment reforms in a generation with a particular focus on helping young people into work.   

Thousands of jobseekers could be supported into a new career as the government joins forces with LinkedIn to bolster careers advice. 

It will see timely anonymised data on jobs, skills, hiring and workforce movement shared with Skills England from LinkedIn’s network of 40 million UK accounts, giving the government a new way of viewing the labour market. 

In the future this could be used by the new Jobs and Careers Service to provide jobseekers with more tailored advice on industry specific skills and career routes, helping them to reach their goals. 

As the recent Skills England Annual Report found, a further 1.8 million extra jobs will be needed in priority sectors by 2035. The DWP will work with LinkedIn to map how people move between jobs, with the aim of helping people to widen their career options and businesses to look beyond traditional recruitment pools. 

The landmark partnership with LinkedIn recognises the days of a job for life are increasingly rare. As Funding Circle has found, the average worker will go through seven jobs in their lifetime, with younger people more likely to change roles. This shows that having the right data on career paths and the skills necessary to follow them is more crucial than ever. 

The DWP and Skills England are excited to explore how this data can be used and will explore a number of possibilities as our work with LinkedIn progresses.  

An improved understanding of where there is a skills mismatch between local job adverts and the skills of the local population is our first priority for this work in order to inform new skills options and drive economic growth.  

Young people in particular will benefit from this partnership as the government will gain a more detailed insight of the local workforce and how it is evolving.  

Last week the Secretary of State Pat McFadden met with LinkedIn’s Blake Lawit, to mark this exciting new partnership. The partnership comes as the government takes forward the biggest employment reforms in a generation, including the creation of the new Jobs and Careers Service and a major drive backed by £2.5 billion investment to give every young person the chance to earn or learn. 

Pat McFadden Secretary of State said: 

We know young people today are far less likely than previous generations to stay in the same career for life, which is why we must give them the tools to build a fulfilling, lasting career path.  

This partnership with LinkedIn will give us a clearer understanding of the jobs market – what employers need, where opportunities are, and how people are building their careers, in order to boost economic growth.  

Together with our £2.5 billion youth employment support package, we are making sure that every young person across the country has the chance to earn or learn.

Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England, said:  

I’m really excited about this partnership. LinkedIn has become such a hub for businesses that are recruiting and people on the look-out for jobs.  

The resulting insights from their anonymised data will be incredibly valuable to Skills England and the new Jobs and Careers Service – particularly when it comes to identifying local skills gaps and helping young people to fill them.  

We’re looking forward to joining forces to make a major difference.

Blake Lawit, Chief Global Affairs & Legal Officer of LinkedIn: 

Today’s careers are increasingly shaped by skills, adaptability, and continuous learning.  

Professionals entering the workforce now are on pace to hold twice as many jobs over their careers compared to 15 years ago. As people navigate more career transitions, access to timely labour market insights is more important than ever.  

We’re proud to be supporting the UK Government’s efforts to better understand workforce trends, close talent gaps, and help more people find their next opportunity faster.

Additional Information

No individual-level member data will be shared with DWP. 

LinkedIn has a database of 40 million accounts which includes students, retirees and working people recognise the UK as their professional home. 

To protect the privacy of LinkedIn’s members, data will be collected within LinkedIn’s existing systems, with anonymised findings shared with Skills England. insight into how many people are employed, how they’re working. 

Skills England will lead on this partnership on behalf of DWP, with officials already working to begin the initial phase of the project.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 12 June 2026.

Young Brits are set to benefit from Dutch style employment support as the Government steps up localised support to tackle rising NEET numbers.

• Government to open almost 180 Dutch-style Youth Hubs over next two years to tackle rising youth unemployment as nation’s NEET number hits one million 
• Visting the Netherlands, the Work and Pensions Secretary saw how Dutch ‘Jongerenpunt’ youth points are bringing services under one roof, helping them record Europe’s lowest NEET rate  
• Secretary of State vows to learn from the Netherlands’ approach where young people are given multiple chances through work-study pathways, employer partnerships and apprenticeships to build a system where “inactivity is a last resort”

Young Brits are set to benefit from Dutch style employment support as the Government steps up localised support to tackle rising NEET numbers. 

Almost 180 new Youth Hubs will begin opening from next week which will provide wraparound services – coordinating education, welfare, and employment support. This comes after the government implemented a standard blueprint for Youth Hubs last year as part of the expansion programme, designed to ensure hubs include essential wraparound services such as health, housing and wellbeing support, with consideration given to international models and UK evidence, while reflecting local needs and partnerships. 

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited one of these youth points in Rotterdam and spoke to employers and educators about the transformational impact they have for Dutch youngsters. 

The Netherlands has one of the world’s lowest NEET rates – 4.9 percent among 18 to 24-year-olds, compared to the UK’s 15.1 percent. 

Britain’s new Youth Hubs will bring vital support to young people where they already are at a range settings including football clubs, community centres and libraries. The hubs, like the Jongerenpunt services in the Netherlands, are one stop shops where young people can access the support they need – whether it’s CV advice, housing support or mental health support they need. Every local area across Britain will now get a Youth Hub, with 360 youth hubs to be opened by 2029. 

Youth points are a key part of the Netherlands’ system, alongside their strong track record of vocational training. Around 35 percent of young people in the Netherlands pursue technical and professional pathways compared with 22 percent in the UK. More than half of Dutch young people have workplace experience by the age of 19, compared to dwindling early labour market participation in the UK.  

During his visit the Secretary of State heard more about the Netherlands’ strong emphasis on early intervention, local accountability and active engagement. Young people who leave education without qualifications continue to receive support, while local authorities, employers, schools and employment services work together to prevent long-term inactivity. He vowed to build a system in the UK where there is a “path for everyone”.  

The Netherlands’ success comes despite the fact Dutch young people rank second in the world for depressive symptoms – directly behind the UK and report anxiety disorders at rates slightly below Britain’s. If the UK were to match the Dutch NEET rate, 600,000 more young people would be in work or education today according to the Resolution Foundation.  

This strongly suggests the difference is not health but how the country responds to it, with the Dutch system keeping people connected to work before it is too late.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: 

In the Netherlands, inactivity is a last resort, yet we all too often see young people signed off and written off, without engagement or support.

That is a system failure which has failed our young people. “We should learn from their approach of having a pathway for every young person

With hundreds of new Youth Hubs and an expansion across all areas of the UK and our £2.5 billion investment in our Youth Guarantee we will create more than 200,000 jobs and apprenticeships, expand employment support and deliver the biggest reforms to apprenticeships in a decade.

This comes as over a million 16-24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training, with the number rising by almost 250,000 since 2021 with more than half reporting a health condition.

These figures underline the need for targeted action which is why the Government is delivering a major youth employment drive backed by £2.5 billion over the next three years which will support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. This includes enhanced apprenticeship support, helping more young people into work while giving businesses greater incentives to hire and train those who have been on Universal Credit and looking for work for six months.

We have also introduced a £2,000 incentive for each new employee aged 16-24 taken on by a small business, while National Insurance Contributions are waived for most employees under 21 and apprentices under 25.

This existing support, combined with learnings from the Secretary of State’s visit to the Netherlands are essential to the government’s mission to get Britain’s young people into good, productive jobs which will drive the nation’s plan for growth.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 9 June 2026.

Pension savers will be better protected from scams under new plans announced today (Tuesday 9 June 2026), as the Government acts to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraudsters who rob people of their lifetime savings.

• New safeguard proposed to tackle pension fraud.
• Targeted safeguard to end misuse of Small Self-Administered Schemes with average losses rising to £38,400 per person.
• Part of wider government programme to crack down on pension fraud to ensure more can save with confidence.

Pension scams are among one of the most damaging forms of financial fraud. Fraudsters trick savers into transferring their pension pots into bogus schemes, often leaving victims with no way to recover their losses.

The new proposals would mean that where there is no clear link between a saver and the SSAS scheme they are transferring into, a new warning flag would be triggered, enabling the transfer to be stopped.

The consultation also seeks views on cutting red tape that has been slowing down legitimate transfers, making the process simpler for savers who are not at risk of pension fraud.

Torsten Bell MP, Minister for Pensions, said:

Pension scams can rip away not just people’s savings, but the retirement they are looking forward to. This Government is determined to stay one step ahead of criminals who seek to exploit savers.

Too often we see fraudsters trying to trick workers into transferring their savings into bogus pensions. We are stepping in to automatically block transfers where the warning signs are flashing red.

Today’s consultation is the first step in a wider government programme to tackle pension fraud working with government departments and industry stakeholders, including the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG). Further measures, including potential new legislation, are being developed this year.

Gaucho Rasmussen, Executive Director of Enforcement & Executive General Counsel at The Pensions Regulator (TPR), on behalf of the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG), said:

Fraud wrecks lives – and tackling it demands strong, coordinated action. Through the Pension Scams Action Group, which TPR leads, we are working closely with the DWP, law enforcement, the pensions industry and other partners to identify emerging threats and stop fraudsters in their tracks.

The targeted safeguard proposed is an important step forward in protecting savers. We urge trustees and administrators to have their say.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 30 May 2026.

A business leader with decades of experience at the most senior levels has been appointed to drive forward the Government’s Youth Guarantee and ensure all young people have the chance to earn or learn.

• Marc Bolland appointed Lead Non-Executive Director at DWP, tasked with convening business leaders to help address the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
• Bolland – whose charity Movement to Work has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people into work – will help drive delivery of the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure every young person can earn or learn.
• Appointment confirmed after interim findings of the Government-commissioned Alan Milburn review which set out the scale and complexity of the youth unemployment crisis.

Former Marks & Spencer Chief Executive Marc Bolland has been tasked with convening CEOs across sectors to help implement Youth Guarantee reforms, bringing the voice of businesses into policy delivery. This will help create opportunity for young people and tackle the crisis of one million not in employment, education or training (NEET).

As well as leading major companies including Marks & Spencer, Morrisons supermarkets and Heineken, Marc is founder chairman of the charity Movement to Work, which working with the DWP has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people into work.

In his new role as Lead Non-Executive Director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Marc will convene leading Chief Executives across sectors to help expand opportunity, create clear routes into work and tackle the long-standing challenge of youth unemployment.

He will also advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on the Government’s response to the Alan Milburn Review, which has just released its interim report. In this role he will be asked to place partnership with business and the third sector at the heart of the Government’s approach.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

The number of young people not in education, employment or training is a serious challenge that has been allowed to persist for too long. That is why I asked Alan Milburn to look hard at the underlying causes and what it will take to fix them.

Marc Bolland’s appointment sends a clear signal that we are serious about tackling that challenge. His track record in business and through Movement to Work make him uniquely placed to bring employers together and open up real opportunities for young people who need them most.

I’ve also commissioned senior officials in my department to look at how we go even further in the support we provide young people – particularly young people with health conditions. And I’ve asked that that be done together with employers, charities, disabled people’s organisations and young people themselves.

Marc’s role will:

• Turbo-charge delivery of the Government’s Youth Guarantee, helping ensure 1 million young people, including those with a disability or health condition, have access to employment, training or education – backed by £2.5 billion investment.
• Convene employers to business support for youth employment, alongside disabled people’s organisations, charities and young people
• Advise the Secretary of State on the Government’s response to the Milburn review – putting partnership with business and the third sector and disabled people’s organisations at the heart of Government’s response.

Marc Bolland said:

As founder and chairman of Movement to Work we have, in close cooperation with DWP, brought over 200,000 NEETs into work and I am honoured and passionate to join the DWP now.

I believe the Government is serious about tackling this generational crisis of youth unemployment, and I know that working hand in hand with business to support young people gives them the best possible chance of success.

Marc brings experience at the most senior levels of business, having served as Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer plc, Chief Executive of Morrisons supermarkets, and Chief Operating Officer at Heineken.

He also brings a deep passion for improving young people’s lives through work, as demonstrated in his role as founding chairman of Movement to Work, a charity that offers free support to businesses to create youth employability programmes. The organisation has so far delivered more than 200,000 opportunities for 16 to 30-year-olds facing barriers to work.

Marc will help bring business into solving this national crisis – with some employers already stepping in to be part of the solution.

Severn Trent is the latest major employer to back the Government’s Youth Guarantee, which aims to give every young person the chance to earn or learn. Other supporters include the Premier League, Channel 4, Royal Shakespeare Company and Pinewood Studios.

The Government has commissioned Alan Milburn to look into the root causes of youth inactivity and identify what more can be done to support young people into work and learning. Last week, Alan Milburn published his interim findings which highlighted calls for a system reset to support more young people into work.

The report found that, without urgent action, the number of young people who are NEET – not in education, employment, or training – will rise from 1-in-8 to 1-in-6 young people within five years, representing 1.25 million young lives.

The government is prioritising early intervention, ensuring young people are supported before they reach crisis point, identifying and supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), speech delays, and behavioural risks as early as possible to improve long-term outcomes.

Marc is the latest major figure from the world of business brought in by the department to utilise their extensive experience and expertise. Last year, former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield was asked to lead the Keep Britain Working Review which, with the support of employers, has been looking at ways to help people return to or stay in work.

Additional information

• Marc Bolland is founder chairman of Movement to Work, a registered charity offering free support to businesses to create youth employability programmes. It has delivered more than 200,000 opportunities for 16 to 30-year-olds facing barriers to work.
• The Youth Guarantee aims to ensure every young person aged 18 to 21 has access to employment, training or education.
• Alan Milburn was commissioned by the Secretary of State to conduct an independent review into youth inactivity. Final recommendations for fundamental system reform will follow later this year.
• Sir Charlie Mayfield’s Keep Britain Working review has gained the support of some 150 organisations employing 1.5million people across 24 sectors, 10 mayoral and strategic authorities and all nations of the UK: Keep Britain Working: Final report – GOV.UK

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 29 May 2026.

Young people across the country will be helped onto the career ladder thanks to the creation of 300,000 new work experience and training placements in sectors including construction, health and social care and hospitality.

• New placements announced as Government accelerates its Youth Guarantee to give every young person the chance to earn or learn.
• Expansion of support will help thousands more young people gain hands-on experience, build skills and move into work over the next three years.
• Move comes after Alan Milburn’s interim report into youth unemployment highlighted the vital importance of work experience.

Young people across the country will be helped onto the career ladder thanks to the creation of 300,000 new work experience and training placements in sectors including construction, health and social care and hospitality.

The new placements, part of a £2.5 billion youth employment support package, will see young people gain hands-on experience, build real skills and move into sustained work.

They come as the Government accelerates its Youth Guarantee to give every young person the chance to earn or learn and reverse the rising numbers not in education, employment, or training (NEET) – currently standing at just over/under one million.

Work experience is widely recognised as a key way to help young people gain the skills and confidence to succeed, and Alan Milburn’s interim report published yesterday (28 May) warned that the first rung of the career ladder has thinned.

The report, commissioned by the Government to identify the root causes of youth unemployment, warned that Britain risks a lost generation unless young people are given real opportunities to gain work experience.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

The evidence is clear, give young people real work experience and the chances of them building a lasting career increase dramatically.

That’s why we are creating 300,000 new placements, backed by some of Britain’s biggest employers, to give young people the skills, confidence and connections they need to get on.

This generation deserves every opportunity to succeed, and this Government is determined to deliver it.

The 300,000 placements will be made up of work experience and Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), reaching young people in every corner of the country.

SWAPs are short government-funded programmes for jobseekers claiming benefits, offering training, hands-on experience of the workplace and a guaranteed job interview.

Recent analysis shows around four in ten SWAP participants move into sustained work within six months, earning an average of £1,400 a month, a powerful demonstration that the programme is delivering real, lasting change for young people.

Major employers including Manchester Airport Group, JD and Gatwick Airport are already backing SWAPs, with the construction industry leading the way.

Chief Executive of London Gatwick, Pierre-Hugues Schmit said:

We’re delighted to welcome the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to London Gatwick. As a major employer and economic driver in the South-East, we recognise the importance of opening doors for young people.

We are proud of our initiatives such as our long-standing apprenticeship programme, internship opportunities, community outreach and the London Gatwick Aviation Academy.

This SWAP programme delivered in partnership with the DWP and Jobcentre Plus has seen 81 participants achieve a Level 1 NCFE qualification in ‘Introduction to Aviation’, with over half progressing into employment at the airport since February 2026.

At London Gatwick, we are committed to creating clear pathways into well-rewarded, high-skilled careers.

Construction SWAPs broke records in 2025/26, with almost 17,000 starts helping to power the pipeline of skilled workers Britain needs to deliver on its housebuilding and infrastructure ambitions.

The Youth Guarantee package will deliver a range of opportunities to young people – including a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and 50,000 additional youth apprenticeships, supporting the Government’s mission to ensure that getting Britain’s young people into good, productive jobs is central to its wider plan for economic growth.

Additional information

• Nearly 100,000 SWAPs were delivered in 2025/26, an increase of almost 15,000 on the previous year, with a record 25,000 young people aged 16 to 24 starting a SWAP, up from 21,000 the year before.
• Plans are already in place to push delivery even further, with an ambitious target of 115,000 starts next year.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 20 May 2026.

• Radical overhaul of broken fit note system to be piloted so it works for patients, employers, and healthcare professionals.
• Trials to be delivered through selected NHS WorkWell sites and major employers.
• Comes as new report shows just 29% of primary care staff see issuing fit notes as a good use of GP time.

Patients, employers and GPs are set to benefit from an overhaul of the broken fit note system following the launch of several pilots by the Government today to reform the system for workers who fall ill.

The current system sees some 11 million fit notes issued every year, with more than nine in ten declaring the person ‘not fit for work’.

Four pilots, in different areas, in England will look at the best way to end this tick-box exercise which does not offer any support or guidance and replace it with personalised ‘stay in work’ and ‘return to work’ plans for workers who fall ill.

The pilots will cover up to 100,000 appointments and last up to a year, with continuous testing, in order to narrow down the most effective approach to tackling the inherited steep increase in number of fit notes issued.

Patients will be offered either an initial fit note from a GP and then referred to community health workers – or go through the whole process without an initial fit note from a GP, and will instead be supported by a separate service staffed by clinical and non-clinical practitioners.

They will provide a range of work and health support, including three-way conversations between patients, employers, and trained professionals – covering reasonable adjustments and keeping people connected to their workplace from the first day of absence, helping more people to stay in work with support.

It is the first step in the Government’s ambition for radical fit note reform – with pilot findings due to be shaped by patients, healthcare staff, and employers – before the Government brings forward legislation to further reform the broken system.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, said:

Fit notes are too often a dead end – a piece of paper that tells people they can’t work but does nothing to help them get better.

We’re changing that. By bringing employers, the NHS, and patients together we can help people recover faster, stay connected to their jobs, and get the economy firing on all cylinders.

That’s what these pilots are about, and that’s what this Government is committed to – fixing what is broken.

The launch comes as the Government publishes the Fit Note Call for Evidence which shows just three in 10 Healthcare Professionals in Primary Care say fit notes are a good use of GPs time, while six in 10 employers think the current process is ineffective at supporting their employees’ work and health needs.

Trials of a new approach was recommended by the former John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield in his landmark Keep Britain Working Review into economic inactivity, which noted that the fit note system is “not working as intended” and had become a barrier to contact with employers.

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said:

Ever since I was appointed Minister of State for Care in July 2024, NHS staff have been telling me that the current fit note system isn’t working – not for patients, and not for the clinicians who sign them off.

These pilots mark the beginning of the end for that broken system, giving people personalised support to get back into work and freeing up GPs from unnecessary admin so they can focus on what they do best: caring for their patients.

This is what our 10 Year Health Plan is all about – earlier support, from the right people, in the right place.

From July, the NHS will test new approaches through four existing WorkWell sites, backed by £3 million in the first year. The areas will test the following models:

• Birmingham and Solihull – GPs issue the first fit note where needed, with all patients referred to a new support service led primarily by non-clinical staff, including social prescribers and work and health coaches
• Coventry and Warwickshire – GPs issue the first fit note, with patients able to be referred to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff
• Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – GPs refer patients directly to a non-clinical support service, without issuing a fit note
• Lancashire and South Cumbria – GPs refer patients to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff, without issuing a fit note.

BMA’s Practice Business policy lead for GPs committee England Dr Clare Bannon said:

The BMA has contributed to the design of these pilots with DWP to overhaul the fit note system as we feel the current system is not working for GPs or patients. We welcome the opportunity to test how different models work and ensure the new process reduces unnecessary appointments for GPs, but most importantly provides support to patients.

We will continue to input into the pilots to ensure they have appropriate occupational health support and do not inadvertently increase pressure on general practice or affect patient care. While we are supportive of this pilot, it must be underpinned by appropriate training, clinical oversight and clear governance.

Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said:

GPs take our responsibility to appropriately issue fit notes seriously, but the current system can involve significant administrative work that takes time away from patient care.

We are open to exploring evidence-based reforms that could help improve outcomes for patients. However, any reform of the fit note process must put the health and wellbeing of patients first, be fully resourced and avoid creating additional workload for general practice. As such we look forward to seeing a comprehensive evaluation of this pilot.

The Government is also confirming local funding allocations for WorkWell – the proven health-and-employment service through which the NHS-based fit note pilots will be delivered – as the programme expands nationally to support up to 250,000 people with a disability or health condition to get into or stay in work.

WorkWell is a local, health-led service connecting NHS, council and community support to keep people in work and help them return quickly if they don’t.

It comes as part of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion employment support package which meets sick and disabled people where they are, and builds on recent changes including the right for people on benefits to try work without fear of immediate reassessment, and the redeployment of 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers who are supporting those left behind by the previous Government.

Those who need time off to recover will still get it, with the Government’s Statutory Sick Pay reforms meaning employees receive support from day one of sickness absence, putting an extra £400 million a year into people’s pockets.

Alongside the NHS pilots, Keep Britain Working Vanguard businesses – including EDF Energy – will work out how employers can play a practical role in preventing absence where possible, and supporting safe, swift returns when it does occur.

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said:

The current tick-box system for fit notes isn’t working for anyone, particularly patients. It makes people who are unwell jump through unnecessary admin hoops, and yet the process rarely offers people the support they need to get well and manage their conditions long-term.

The Department for Work and Pensions is absolutely right to test out new ways of supporting those who are signed off, and it is vital that patients are fully involved in that testing process, able to feed back over what works and what doesn’t. This is the only way to reliably avoid unintended consequences and create a system that actually helps both those who can’t work and those who would be able to with the appropriate support.

Ultimately the goal has to be about focusing on improving people’s health and getting them well, this is the hallmark of a compassionate state. In the end, investing in this approach will also pay dividends in terms of more people feeling able to work and being able to enjoy all the positives that come as a result.

Nottingham GP Dr Sanjoy Kumar said:

I am really pleased the government is looking seriously at new approaches to fit notes, a change which is urgently needed. As a GP for over 25 years, I know how much of our clinical time is taken up with issuing these, which for many patients is not the right approach.

Dr Steve Taylor GP Co-Lead Doctors Association UK said:

The Doctors Association UK has been involved in discussions over the past few months with the Department of Work and Pensions around Fit Note reform. These discussions were broad and included many groups: GPs, employers, patients and occupational health. We agree that the current system of fit-notes isn’t working well for patients, GPs and employers. It often lacks the nuance to deal with specific work situations and reasons that people have for not being able to work their full or part of their role.

We hope these pilots will give the opportunity to explore a different way for people to engage with the periods of ill health and ways to make work more accessible and achievable. This recognises that GPs aren’t always best equipped to understand the options for work and we hope that active engagement between patients, GPs, employers and this new service will provide a better experience for everyone.

It is important that no one is forced to work who cannot, but it is also important that those who can, should be encouraged and given options to work. This could be a great improvement and we look forward to seeing the outcomes from these 4 pilots.

Chief Policy & Campaigns Officer John Foster at Confederation of British Industry said:

The fit note system is broken and fails employers, workers, and the economy. Business welcomes these pilots. They are an important step towards building a better system.

Employers have increased their investment in supporting employee health and wellbeing and hope that these pilots will direct efforts to interventions that have the greatest impact.

An improved system also needs to restore employers’ confidence that absence from work is only recommended when it is justified.

Professor Neil Greenberg, the Society of Occupational Medicine said:

The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) welcomes DWP’s proposed fit note pilots, particularly the workability plan. The current fit note system is not working. Too many people who could potentially be supported to stay and return to work are not.

The fit note reform offers clear benefits for employees, employers, and the NHS. SOM anticipate the pilots will generate useful data to improve how fit notes will support employees, alleviate GP pressures and help bridge the gap between employers and employees.

SOM will be interested to see if the pilots will support better health outcomes through reduced absenteeism, and improved retention. SOM looks forward to working with the DWP to achieve a better fit note system.

Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of The National Academy for Social Prescribing:

We are pleased that social prescribers – also known as link workers – will play a part in the fit note pilots. Link workers can support people with social issues that affect their health, including loneliness, isolation and problems with debt or housing. They focus on what matters to people and connect them to community-based support – including advice on money or housing, carers’ support, physical activity groups or local activities. There is strong evidence that this approach can benefit wellbeing and mental health.

No one who is unable to work should be pressured into doing so, but this voluntary scheme should help join the dots between the NHS, employers and communities, and help people get the right support for wider issues that affect their health.

Head of Policy and Practice at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Joe Brunwin, said:

These pilots are a real chance to help more people stay in or return to work and are centred around a core skill of occupational therapy: understanding people as individuals and considering how their environment and circumstances affect their ability to work.

Fit note evaluations and pilots show occupational therapists are more likely to take a work-focused approach, using ‘may be fit’ advice and adjustments to support return to work. As well as signing fit notes occupational therapists can provide clinical supervision and governance for non-clinical staff.

It’s encouraging to see a shift away from a purely medical approach to work absence, towards taking a more holistic approach. We look forward to seeing how this initiative makes use of occupational therapy expertise and how we can continue to work together as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting people to stay in, return to and thrive in work.

Additional information

• The previous government launched a Call for Evidence in April 2024 and this government has now published its findings: Fit Note Reform: Call for Evidence – Results – GOV.UK
• The initial focus is on people who are in work, while continuing to explore how reforms interact with the benefits system and support people who are out of work. Patients will be able to use the stay in work and return to work plans for Statutory Sick Pay, which the government recently strengthened through the Plan to Make Work Pay.
• The NHS pilots will test different models of fit note reform – including some GPs issuing the first fit note in a sickness absence. In other areas, fit notes will be wholly replaced by the new plans.
• The Keep Britain Working Vanguards are early adopters who will develop and refine workplace health approaches over the next three years to build the evidence base for what works.
• WorkWell allocations:

Region	Maximum Funding Allocation
East of England	£24.2m
London	£40.3m
Midlands	£47.1m
North East & Yorkshire	£36.3m
North West	£35.4m
South East	£30.5m
South West	£21.6m

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 19 May 2026.

Tens of thousands of disabled people needing support to move into or stay in work will have their claims processed quicker, thanks to action taken by the Department for Work and Pensions.

• Nearly 500 additional staff to be recruited to clear inherited backlog in the Access to Work scheme.
• Comes as payment delays already eliminated and 96 percent of urgent cases cleared within 28 days.
• Action taken will allow thousands more disabled people and people with health conditions to start or remain in work.

Tens of thousands of disabled people needing support to move into or stay in work will have their claims processed quicker, thanks to action taken by the Department for Work and Pensions. 

The Access to Work scheme can help fund specialist equipment, support workers including BSL interpreters, and the costs of travelling to work for people with health conditions and disabilities.  

Demand for the scheme has surged in recent years, with the number of claims more than doubling since 2018/19. This, coupled with the backlog inherited from the previous Government – of 48,270 applications awaiting a decision at the end of June 2024 – means around 60,000 applicants are awaiting a decision. 

As part of its efforts to move from a welfare state to a working state, the DWP is taking action to address the backlog by recruiting nearly 500 new members of staff to speed up processing times and help people get the support they need quicker. 

The change is part of a range of measures to break down barriers for sick or disabled people left behind by the previous Government. 

This includes:  

• Investing £3.5 billion into employment support of sick or disabled people by the end of the decade.
• Connect to Work which delivers tailored, personalised, local support that will help 300,000 people into work by the end of this parliament.
• The national expansion of WorkWell backed by £259mn, helping up to 250,000 people with health conditions to stay in or return to work.
• Allowing sick or disabled people to try work without the immediate fear of reassessment through the Right to Try. 
• The redeployment of 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers who’ve already helped tens of thousands of people the previous Government wrote off.

Pat McFadden, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said: 

Access to Work is a lifeline for disabled people and those with health conditions, helping them to start and stay in work, but when I came to the DWP it was clear there was a major issue with people waiting for a decision. 

That’s why I’m taking action to clear the backlog, because we know that the right support can change lives.  

This is part of our wider commitment to move from a welfare state to a working state, building an economy that works for everyone.

The recruitment drive will see 480 new case managers and caseworkers employed to help fix the inherited backlog by September 2027 – representing a 72 percent increase to the 658 people working on the scheme.  

New case managers will receive extensive training to handle complex applications, ensuring disabled people receive timely support to secure and sustain employment. Alongside recruitment, the government is already prioritising cases where applicants are due to start work within four weeks. 

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap:  

We welcome the government taking action to clear the Access to Work backlog. Payment delays are putting enormous pressure on disabled people who rely on this vital support to get into and stay in work, as well as charities like Mencap who employ and support them.  

People with a learning disability can be fantastic employees, but many will need the right support to thrive in the workplace. Access to Work is one of the best ways to support disabled people in work, for example funding dedicated job coaches who help people with a learning disability to develop their skills in the workplace, build confidence, and sustain paid employment.   

This recruitment drive is a positive step in tackling the systematic delays and bogged down administration that has threatened this vital programme. If Access to Work runs as intended, it will help reduce the disability employment gap and get more people with a learning disability into paid work. We look forward to seeing this announcement translate into real, lasting improvement.

Laura Davis, CEO at BASE said:

Access to Work remains a lifeline for disabled people, enabling access to good careers and providing the practical support that helps individuals not just enter work, but flourish within it. It is wonderful to see the government joining the dots to create an environment where more disabled people can access good careers. 

At the same time, the current backlog is creating significant pressure across the system. For many providers, delays in decisions and payments are impacting their confidence to sustain and grow provision, with some concerned about their ability to continue offering support at all. This has implications not only for individuals, but for employers who are >ready to recruit and retain disabled talent.

We welcome the steps being taken to increase capacity and prioritise urgent cases. Addressing the backlog at pace, and ensuring timely payments to individuals, providers and employers, will be critical in restoring confidence and stability. This will enable the sector to focus fully on delivery, supporting more disabled people into sustainable employment and contributing to the wider ambition of building an economy that works for everyone.

Harriet Oppenheimer, Chief Executive of RNID, said: 

We are pleased to see the Government have acknowledged the scale and impact that Access to Work delays are having on disabled people and are investing in clearing the scheme’s backlog. 

Being able to access the tools and support needed to work is essential. For many people who are deaf, especially British Sign Language (BSL) users who rely on interpretation, the Access to Work scheme is vital to get the communication support they need to be able to do their jobs effectively. RNID’s research shows that Access to Work delays have forced people to change how they work or reduce their hours, while some people have been forced to cover the costs out of their own pocket.  

An effective Access to Work scheme is crucial to ensure deaf people have equal access to the workplace. We hope this announcement will help to ensure this vital scheme genuinely works for those who need it by reducing the waiting times people >are experiencing through Access to Work.

Today’s announcement builds on action already taken by the Government. Staff numbers have increased by around 30 percent since March 2024, payment delays have been eliminated, and 96 percent of urgent start-date cases are now decided within 28 days. 

It comes alongside wider work on Keep Britain Working where Government is partnering with Employers and stakeholders to develop practices and approaches to better support disabled people and those with health conditions in the workplace. 

Wider reforms to ensure Access to Work remains fair and sustainable are also being considered, with evidence gathered from disabled people, employers, and representative organisations to shape future changes. 

Further information: 

• Access to Work provides practical and financial support to disabled people and those with health conditions to help them start or stay in work. Further information is available at gov.uk.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 19 May 2026.

The Pensions Commission has today (19 May) published its interim report on the state of retirement saving in the UK, setting out the key challenges facing the current system and where it will focus its work next.

• Interim report highlights key challenges in retirement saving across the UK with 15 million people currently undersaving for retirement.
• Findings sets direction for further work to improve retirement outcomes ahead of final recommendations in 2027.
• Commission set up as part of government’s wider reforms to pensions system to help more people retire with dignity.

The Pensions Commission has today (19 May) published its interim report on the state of retirement saving in the UK, setting out the key challenges facing the current system and where it will focus its work next.

The report highlights that many people are not saving enough for retirement, particularly among low and middle earners, the self‑employed and women, and points to the need for the system to evolve to meet modern working lives.

There are currently 15 million people under saving for retirement which could reach 19 million without action, leaving large groups across the UK facing a severe cliff-edge when they retire, according to a new report from the Pensions Commission.

Set up by the Government in July 2025, the Commission aims to address a savings challenge that has been building for decades, examining why tomorrow’s retirees’ risk being worse off than today’s and making recommendations to reverse this.

This follows the success of the 2002 to 2006 Commission which built a consensus for the roll-out of Automatic Enrolment into pension saving, resulting in 89% of eligible employees now saving into their pensions, up from 55% in 2012.

Its findings include:

• Low and middle earners are most at risk, with around half saving only at minimum Automatic Enrolment levels with little else to fall back on.
• 45% of working-age adults – around 18 million people – are not saving into a pension at all, despite nearly half of them being in work.
• Where employers are contributing about the statutory minimum this is largely benefiting higher earners.
• Just 4% – one in 25 – of wholly self-employed workers are saving for retirement, and it’s even lower among younger self-employed people.
• On current trends around 3 in 10 private pension pots are accessed at the earliest possible opportunity with half of all pots taken out in full. Nearly half of these are spent on large expenses like a car, holiday or renovations.

The Commission examined why tomorrow’s retirees are on track to be poorer than today’s with too many working age adults are saving nothing at all into a pension. A final report with recommendations will follow in early 2027.

Pensions Commissioner, Baroness Jeannie Drake said:

Over the past two decades since the Turner Commission there is no doubt pensions reform can be described as a success. Yet the second Pensions Commission is looking forward and seeing many people not saving enough and millions not saving at all.

This demands a renewed national settlement on pensions.

Achieving this will require clarity of purpose, but it also offers a moment of opportunity; to renew a social contract that commands confidence across the country.

The recommendations we present in our final report will address the need to secure adequate income in later life and a pension system that is fit for decades to come.

The Commission will set out the course to improving future outcomes whilst ensuring the system is fair and sustainable within and between generations.

Minister for Pensions, Torsten Bell MP, said:

Britain has got back into the pension saving habit, but the job is only half done with tomorrow’s pensioners still on track to be poorer than today’s.

The Pensions Commission sets out clearly the scale of the challenge: not enough people are saving for retirement, and many of those that are aren’t saving enough.

The Commission warns that without action millions more people could be at risk of becoming reliant on state support in retirement.

It adds that there is much for public policy to do to shape the future of pensions, whilst maintaining the broad political consensus pensions has had since the Turner Commission in the 2000s. The Commission is clear that change must happen in the right way, with any recommendations for change implemented gradually. The Government has ruled out any changes to Automatic Enrolment contributions this Parliament.

Dr Yvonne Braun, ABI Director of Long-Term Savings Policy said:

The report makes a powerful case for a new national settlement for pensions. Automatic enrolment is a sturdy foundation, but must evolve to meet the scale of the challenges ahead.

We and our members stand ready to work with the Commission to deepen saving, extend coverage and support better decisions in retirement, so that everyone can look forward to greater financial security in later life.

Over the next year the Commission will hear a wide range of views before presenting its final report and recommendations in early 2027. A call for views from all interested parties has also launched today.

Rocio Concha, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Which? said:

Which? welcomes this interim report from the Pensions Commission and the valuable evidence it brings together on the UK’s pension adequacy challenge. It is very encouraging to see recognition of the need to increase private pension saving rates and coverage, while also acknowledging the financial pressures caused by the cost of living crisis.

The report rightly highlights that too many working people are projected to reach later life without sufficient savings, and that women, carers, the self-employed and many ethnic minority groups continue to face structural barriers. It is also promising to see a strong focus on how to support people to use their pension savings throughout retirement.

Which? looks forward to continuing to work with the Commission, industry and wider civil society groups to help drive the reforms needed so people are better prepared for retirement.

Julian Mund, Chief Executive of Pensions UK, said:

Pensions UK welcomes the breadth and ambition of this report, and shares the Commission’s view that we need a new national settlement on pensions.

Evidence presented in the report clearly strengthens the case for more pension saving over longer working lives, alongside systemic change that delivers sustainable incomes – building on welcome reforms in the Pension Schemes Act.

We look forward to working with Government to explore how that diagnosis can be turned into a practical roadmap for reform, well before the next generation fall short of the retirement incomes they expect and deserve.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK:

We welcome this new report from the Pensions Commission, which provides an excellent analysis of the problems facing our pensions system today. This is the first and necessary step for ensuring the pensions system of the future enables tomorrow’s older people to have a decent standard of living.

There’s a clear need to improve the way the State Pension and private pension systems work together; otherwise people on low incomes are at risk of falling through the cracks and hurtling towards their retirements without the required funds, or the time to make up the shortfall. We look forward to working with the Commission as it explores the best solutions for future pensioners.

Aside from the commission, the government is also reforming the pension landscape and improving retirement for today’s workers. The Pension Schemes Act, passed this month, will benefit 22 million workers by up to £29,000 by the time they retire, driving down costs, boosting returns and enabling the automatic consolation of small pension pots to ensure every pound saved works harder for working people.

Louise Hellem, Chief Economist, CBI, said:

The publication of the Pensions Commission’s interim report is an important step towards building a long-term framework that delivers adequate living standards in retirement. Getting this right requires the government, businesses and individuals all to play their role in supporting better saving.

As the debate progresses, it is vital that retirement adequacy is considered hand in hand with the UK’s growth ambitions. Strong economic growth underpins sustainable pension outcomes by supporting employment and higher sustainable wage growth, enabling individuals to save, and driving stronger investment returns over time. It is only growth that can sufficiently reduce difficult trade-offs and maintain political, public and business support for change.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:

Workers deserve a pension system that guarantees against poverty in retirement and enables them to maintain their standard of living.

Although millions more people are now building up workplace pensions, far too many on low and middle incomes are not heading for a decent retirement – with women, Black and minority ethnic and disabled workers, and those in the gig economy at highest risk.

The Commission must now develop a bold plan to fix this, which will need to include higher employer contributions and a fair deal for those currently missing out.

Nausicaa Delfas, Chief Executive of The Pensions Regulator, said:

The pensions system is still unfinished business with too many people on track for an inadequate retirement income. That is why we welcome the Pensions Commission report, and look forward to continuing to work with the Commission, Government and industry to create a system which delivers what matters most: a sustainable income in retirement for everyone.