The UK government unveiled a £1 billion youth employment drive designed to create 200,000 jobs and apprenticeships for young people. This "New Deal" for young people aims to tackle rising youth unemployment, which recently hit a 10-year high of 16.1%.
The key components of the initiative include:
- Youth Jobs Grant: Businesses will receive a £3,000 grant for every person aged 18 to 24 they hire who has been on Universal Credit and seeking work for at least six months.
- Apprenticeship Transformation: Termed "the biggest transformation of apprenticeships in a decade," the plan introduces shorter-term "Apprenticeship Units" in high-demand sectors like Electric Vehicle (EV) charging installation, solar PV maintenance, and AI.
- Expanded Jobs Guarantee: Eligibility for the Jobs Guarantee scheme, which fully subsidises roles for the long-term unemployed, is being extended from those aged 18–21 to include all young people up to age 24.
- SME Incentives: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can claim an additional £2,000 incentive for each new apprentice aged 16 to 24 they hire.
- Targeted Support: The government aims to support nearly one million young people currently classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training).
The Department for Work and Pensions expects these measures to support 60,000 young people through the new grants alone over the next three years. Trade bodies like the British Retail Consortium and UKHospitality have welcomed the move, noting that it aligns with industry proposals to help young workers enter the workforce.
More details about Eligibility criteria for businesses or the specific new apprenticeship sectors being introduced?
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