Tag: Department for Work and Pensions

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

All face-to-face and telephone health assessments for disability and sickness benefits will be audio recorded as standard from today to improve transparency in the benefit system.

• Health assessments for disability and sickness benefits to be automatically audio recorded as standard.
• The change moves from an opt-in system – used by fewer than 3% of claimants – to opt-out as the default.
• Recordings to be used to improve assessment quality and improve transparency.

The change means that claimants undergoing assessments for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Work Capability Assessments (WCA) in Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance, and Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) will have their assessment automatically recorded, unless they choose to opt out.

The move marks a significant shift from the previous opt-in system, under which claimants had to request a recording themselves. Despite being offered the option through invitation letters and assessment supplier websites, fewer than 3 percent of claimants took up the offer.

The new policy will improve public trust in the health assessment process through greater transparency. Recordings will also be used as a learning tool to identify potential improvements to assessment quality and will be made available to claimants who wish to appeal their initial benefit award.

Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said:

Improving transparency and trust in the benefits system is one of this government’s key aims, which is why we’re making this important change.

Audio recording health assessments as standard will mean we are available to make improvements and increase assessment quality, resulting in a better experience for claimants.

Feedback from disabled people, the organisations that represent them and disability-focused research has found that some disabled people who claim health and disability benefits lack trust in the health assessment process.

The policy delivers on a commitment first made in the Pathways to Work Green Paper, published in March 2025, which set out the government’s intention to make recording standard practice across assessments.

Written reports will still be used as part of the decision-making process, with audio recordings providing a more accurate record should that be required.

Today’s announcement comes alongside the government’s wider work to improve people’s experience of, and trust in, the benefits system. That includes delivering on our commitment to increase face-to-face assessments from 12 percent to 30 percent, which fell sharply under the previous government, as well as employing nearly 500 additional staff to clear the inherited Access to Work backlog.

Additional Information:

• Claimants who do not wish to have their assessment recorded may opt out.
• The Pathways to Work Green Paper was published on 18 March 2025.

The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 26 June 2026.

Up to 40,000 disabled people and people with health conditions will benefit from expanded access to personalised support, as the government rolls out Support Conversations across a further 27 Jobcentres taking the total number of sites to 33.

• Support Conversations expanding to a further 27 Jobcentres across Great Britain, bringing the total to 33 sites.
• Disabled people and those with health conditions on out of work benefits are being offered a one-to-one, voluntary, hour-long conversation to discuss their support needs and identify extra help. This support is personalised and could link people to help with their health, debt, skills, employment and housing.
• Part of the government’s wider £3.5 billion investment to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work over the Parliament.

Support Conversations are voluntary, hour-long sessions designed to help people identify and overcome the barriers stopping them from moving into work or into meaningful activity (such as volunteering) and is part of the commitment the Government made in last year’s Pathways to Work Green Paper

Unlike standard Jobcentre appointments, Support Conversations take a holistic approach, covering not just employment, but housing, debt, skills, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. Support Conversations are delivered by Healthcare Professionals, Pathways to Work Advisers, and Disability Employment Advisers, and are available face to face, by video, or by telephone.

They are open to those who are awaiting a Work Capability Assessment and people furthest away from the labour market – assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA). 

These are people who for too long were written off and denied support. But the government’s expansion of Support Conversations is giving people they help they need and builds on the landmark deployment of 1,000 Pathways to Work Advisers, who have already helped more than 65,000 sick and disabled people get one step closer to work.

Minister for Employment Dame Diana Johnson said: 

Too many disabled people and people with health conditions face barriers that stop them from accessing the support and opportunities they deserve. 

That is why we are expanding the number of sites delivering Support Conversations from 6 to 33 Jobcentres across Great Britain, giving up to 40,000 people personalised help tailored to their circumstances. 

Getting more people into good work is central to our Plan for Change and Support Conversations will help us do exactly this.

This expansion builds on testing already live in six sites where support conversations are being delivered by healthcare professionals and disability employment advisers. Early testing indicates customers feeling “listened to” and “supported.”

Neil, a Disability Employment Adviser in Bournemouth said: 

Support Conversations are a great opportunity to spend an hour focused on the claimant and their needs. 

We all know that many people face a whole range of challenges which need to be overcome as part of their individual journey back to work and talking through those challenges with a DEA is an important first step.

Support Conversations confirm that the most valuable resource we have is the time that we spend with our claimants.

Saimha, a Healthcare Professional in Preston said: 

Support Conversation is about providing compassionate, informed, holistic, person-centred support to disabled people and those with health conditions. Every interaction is an opportunity to make someone feel heard, safe, and supported.

Every person’s health journey is unique and support conversation is an opportunity to identify the range of barriers people are facing in their day to day life and signposting them to the relevant services that can help, encouraging people to take positive steps towards improving their lives.

This expansion forms part of the government’s Pathways to Work offer and its broader £3.5 billion employment support package, which includes:

• 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 deployment of 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers who’ve already helped tens of thousands of people the previous Government wrote off.

The government will continue to test the success of Support Conversations through healthcare professionals and disability employment advisors as part of this expansion, with Pathways to Work Advisers also carrying out these Support Conversations for the first time. 27 sites have been confirmed so far, with a further six sites to be confirmed shortly.

The expansion directly supports the government’s Plan for Change and its mission to raise living standards across the UK by helping more people into work and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Additional Information:

• Support Conversations are currently offered to people awaiting a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) who have registered a health condition or disability that impacts their ability to work and those assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA).
• The conversations are entirely voluntary.
• List of confirmed sites (note 6 further sites to be confirmed shortly):

Site	Model
Aberdare	PtWA
Berwick Upon Tweed	PtWA
Blaydon	DEA
Bournemouth	DEA
Didsbury	PtWA
Glenrothes	DEA
Grimsby	PtWA
Hoxton	PtWA
Lancaster	HCP
Leeds Park Place	PtWA
Leicester Charles Street	DEA
Leicester Wellington Street	DEA
North Shields	DEA
Northwich	PtWA
Preston	HCP
Rusholme	PtWA
Saltcoats	PtWA
Shettleston	DEA
South Shields	DEA
Southend	DEA
Sparkhill	DEA
Springburn	DEA
Sunderland	DEA
Thornaby	HCP
WesterHailes	PtWA
Whitehaven	DEA
Workington	PtWA

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.