The UK government is due to unveil proposals for a “Youth Guarantee” programme, aimed at getting more young people into training and work. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told the BBC on Sunday that the program would offer opportunities to “earn or learn”, with young people required to take them up in return. Under the proposed scheme, 18-21 year-olds could face benefit cuts if they refuse the opportunities offered.
The need for more opportunities for young people is underlined by the recent publication of official figures showing almost one million of 16-24 year-olds were not in employment, education, or training between July and September this year. The Youth Guarantee scheme is a part of wider reforms of the UK welfare system.
The overhaul comes in response to concerns that a large number of people are gaming the system, including those claiming incapacity benefits. There are currently 9.3 million economically inactive people in the UK, up by 713,000 since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nearly three million people are out of work due to ill health, a 500,000 increase since 2019. In a recent op-ed, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the planned overhaul as crack-down on “criminals”.
Shadow housing secretary Kevin Hollinrake welcomed the focus on the problem, but expressed caution, stating that he wanted to see “the right things” being done, rather than just talk.
The Youth Guarantee programme is part of a multi-faceted approach to address the problem of long-term benefits claimants within the UK. By offering young people opportunities to improve their prospects, the government hopes to prevent established patterns of benefits dependence from affecting a whole new generation. The scheme is set to be implemented soon, as part of ongoing welfare reforms
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