To secure jobs for upwards of 90,000 youths, the youth employment scheme will be scaled up nationwide by the British government.
Ministers are launching the rollout to tackle the rising number of individuals not in education, employment, or training. The Jobs Guarantee begins across Great Britain from the end of November.
Eligible 18 to 24-year-olds claiming Universal Credit will receive six months of paid employment. The government will cover wages for up to 25 hours a week under the plan detailed by official government announcements.
Beginning in April 2027, the required period out of work to qualify will drop from 18 months down to 12. Officials aim to reduce economic inactivity among the younger demographic.
More than 400 employers, including Lidl, Boots, and Leonardo Hotels, are backing the programme. The government expects the initiative to help more than 90,000 young people into work by March 2029.
The expansion arrives ahead of a major review by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn, due on Tuesday. The report is expected to recommend fundamental changes to the welfare system amid concerns over nearly one million young people being out of work or education.
During an appearance on the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme, Milburn cautioned that his recommendations would result in certain youths forfeiting benefits. He argued that spending should instead be redirected towards employment opportunities.
“There will be some young people who lose out, of course,” said Alan Milburn.
“We’re already spending £22 billion a year keeping young people inactive and on benefits and not in a job,” Milburn told the BBC.
Milburn said that his proposed reforms would take a decade to deliver. The changes require billions of pounds in additional investment before savings from lower welfare spending and higher employment can be realized.
He also called for a legal opportunity guarantee. Under this framework, the government would hold a duty to provide young people with employment, education, or training opportunities.
In return, young people would be expected to take up those opportunities. Sanctions would remain available for individuals who refused.
He also proposed allowing young people to keep more of their benefits when entering part-time employment. He argued that the current system penalizes those attempting to return to work.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden backed the need for a complete reset of the system. He acknowledged that existing government measures remained insufficient.
“I’m not here to say that what we’re doing at the moment is enough,” Pat McFadden told the BBC.
The minister confirmed that the upcoming reforms would include an element of compulsion. He argued that the welfare state must offer both financial security and opportunities to work.
The expansion forms part of the government’s £2.5bn youth employment package. The broader strategy aims to create 500,000 opportunities for young people.
Once Tuesday’s review is published, the government is anticipated to issue its reply to Milburn’s proposals.
