Employment Schemes: Mental Illness
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Department of Communities in Northern Ireland on supporting young adults with mental health issues back into work.
Answered by Alison McGovern
Social security is devolved in Northern Ireland and is administered by the Department for Communities and it is for the Devolved Government to decide how to deliver employment support.
The Department understands the longstanding negative implications unemployment may have on young people. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group who deserve access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time. We therefore have a range of specialist initiatives to support individuals to stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.
Through our Get Britain Working Plan, we will introduce a new Youth Guarantee in England, meaning more opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all 18 to 21-year-olds. This will prevent young people becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age and ultimately help support better mental health. This will require input and expertise from a wide range of stakeholders, and we will engage with the devolved governments, including the Department for Communities as our plans develop.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →