The Government is committed to supporting homeownership and continues to work closely with the independent Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

The FCA is currently undertaking a wide-ranging review of the mortgage market, including how mortgage regulation can better support first-time buyers and other underserved consumers, and expects to report back later this year.

The UK benefits from a competitive mortgage market and a large, well-established mortgage intermediary sector, through which prospective first-time buyers can already seek advice and guidance at an early stage. I would encourage anyone thinking about buying a home to contact a mortgage broker, who can help them understand their options and any steps they can take to become mortgage-ready.

HMRC publishes digital shift metrics as part of its aim for at least 90% of customer interactions to be completed through digital or automated channels by 2029/30.

HMRC published its latest digital shift metrics in the 2025/26 Annual Report and Accounts.

The Department keeps Jobcentre staffing requirements under regular review. Resource demand is regularly assessed using a range of operational measures, including claimant volumes and caseloads, and recruitment plans are reviewed accordingly.

The Department does not use parliamentary constituency boundaries as the basis for workforce planning. Recruitment decisions are made according to operational demand and service requirements across Jobcentres. This includes Jobcentre Plus offices serving the Leicester area, where staffing levels and workforce requirements will continue to be monitored and reviewed to ensure customers receive the support they need.

The Advice and Guidance (A&G) model helps ensure that patients receive an appropriate and timely assessment, with clear next steps, in primary and community settings. Where specialist advice supports ongoing management in the community, patients can often be managed more quickly and closer to home, benefiting from earlier specialist input.

Under this Government, the A&G model has therefore supported millions of patients to receive care in the right place without unnecessarily having to join elective waiting lists, alongside the 2,000 extra general practitioners (GPs) we have recruited since July 2024. This is one of the reasons 77% of patients are now reporting a ‘good’ overall experience with their GP.

Under A&G, the clinical threshold for a referral remains unchanged, and GPs should continue to make a clinical decision to refer for specialist care where that is in the patient’s best interest. We will continue to assess the safety of the model and support providers to implement it effectively, and we have already commissioned an external evaluation of A&G, and Single Point of Access processes.

The government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. This investment will also create around 300,000 more opportunities to gain workplace experience and training. It will also help unlock up to 200,000 more employment opportunities, through a new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employers hiring 18–24-year-olds who have been on Universal Credit for over six months, a new £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for non-levy employers hiring 16–24-year-olds and the Jobs Guarantee scheme, providing long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds with a fully funded six month job.

Between Q2 2024 and Q1 2026, Jobcentre Plus sites in Leicester East and across Leicestershire have delivered the previous DWP Youth Offer which provided tailored work coach support to 16- to 24-year-olds on UC in Great Britain.  The Youth Guarantee has been rolled out across all Jobcentres since Q1 2026 and we are ensuring a clear pathway into the new Youth Guarantee by reforming the existing DWP Youth Offer, ensuring all young people can access support. This includes increasing work coach time with young people, to provide more personalised employment support and improving connections to national provision, and opportunities to earn or learn.

Young people now receive tailored guidance and offered up to six options (such as: work, work experience, Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP), apprenticeship, training or learning) to help them progress into employment. This support includes access to specialist work coaches – Youth Employability Coaches - to help address complex barriers to work and the partnership led Youth Hub network.

There are currently 3 Youth Employability Coaches in Leicester City and 5 in Leicestershire. This number is constantly reviewed as numbers of customers requiring the extra support offered by Youth Employability Coaches change.

Work Experience is widely offered across both the City and County with a wide range of employers across a number of sectors offering opportunities.

The Youth Hubs expansion will increase coverage to more than 360 locations across Great Britain, combining employment help from Jobcentre work coaches with local services for health, housing, and wellbeing. Currently, in Leicester, there is a Youth Hub at Leicester City Youth Hub - King Power Stadium, which is in the Leicester West constituency but can be accessible for constituents in Leicester East within an hour.

The Government recognises the important role played by small and medium-sized accountancy and tax advisory practices in supporting taxpayers to meet their obligations.

The Government has consulted on these measures and published assessments of their expected impact. This includes consultations and tax information and impact notes covering mandatory tax adviser registration and the measures to tackle tax adviser-facilitated non-compliance.

HMRC is considering responses to the recent consultation on a proposed criminal offence for reckless untrue statements or declarations in direct tax. Final decisions are subject to the analysis of consultation responses, and the Government will publish its response in due course.

In developing the measures, the Government considered the existing civil and criminal framework and the case for further powers. HMRC will continue to engage with the sector and keep the operation and impact of the measures under review.

This government recognises that a fundamental change in how employment support is designed and delivered is required to help more people to find, stay and progress in work, including those not receiving benefits.

The core Jobcentre Plus offer is primarily designed to support individuals who are expected to be searching or preparing for work as part of their benefit-related conditions, providing Work Coach support and helping claimants prepare for, find and move into work or better work. Beyond the core offer, Jobcentre services can vary locally, with service leaders having flexibility to extend additional support where resources allow and where this reflects local labour market needs.

In addition, the expansion of Youth Hubs to more than 360 locations across Great Britain will ensure that every young person aged 16 – 24 years old- including those not receiving benefits - can access opportunities and comprehensive support in their local area. A core service blueprint will guarantee high-quality, holistic support, including mental health, housing, essential and vocational skills, and employer engagement at every Youth Hub.

As part of our Jobs and Careers Service, we have launched digital tools, known as the Work Hub, designed to help everyone access online support, including an online AI work assistant, CV builder and a new job search tool. We are also expanding community-based employment and careers support through Jobcentre vans and delivering employment support in libraries, GP surgeries and local authority buildings, which are accessible to everyone.

The Advice and Guidance (A&G) model helps ensure that patients receive an appropriate and timely assessment, with clear next steps, in primary and community settings. Where specialist advice supports ongoing management in the community, patients can often be managed more quickly and closer to home, benefiting from earlier specialist input.

Under this Government, the A&G model has therefore supported millions of patients to receive care in the right place without unnecessarily having to join elective waiting lists, alongside the 2,000 extra general practitioners (GPs) we have recruited since July 2024. This is one of the reasons 77% of patients are now reporting a ‘good’ overall experience with their GP.

Under A&G, the clinical threshold for a referral remains unchanged, and GPs should continue to make a clinical decision to refer for specialist care where that is in the patient’s best interest. We will continue to assess the safety of the model and support providers to implement it effectively, and we have already commissioned an external evaluation of A&G, and Single Point of Access processes.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 27 January 2026 in response to Question 105804.

Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) products were brought into FCA regulation in July 2026 and providers are now subject to the FCA’s rules for consumer credit firms. The rules require firms to identify and support customers in financial difficulty, treat them with appropriate forbearance, regularly review the support provided, and refer borrowers to free, independent debt advice where appropriate.

Complaints relating to BNPL were not subject to complaints reporting requirements so reliable figures are not available. Going forward, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Financial Ombudsman Service will record data on complaints relating to BNPL products.

The government will continue to monitor the BNPL market closely, working with the FCA and industry.

Buy-Now, Pay-Later (BNPL) products were brought into FCA regulation in July 2026 and providers are now subject to the FCA’s rules for consumer credit firms. The rules require firms to identify and support customers in financial difficulty, treat them with appropriate forbearance, regularly review the support provided, and refer borrowers to free, independent debt advice where appropriate.

Complaints relating to BNPL were not subject to complaints reporting requirements so reliable figures are not available. Going forward, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Financial Ombudsman Service will record data on complaints relating to BNPL products.

The government will continue to monitor the BNPL market closely, working with the FCA and industry.