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The Green Party has introduced a new proposal aimed at tackling youth unemployment by guaranteeing every young person a two-year job within four months of finishing education or training. This policy was revealed at the party’s conference in Brighton by co-deputy leader Mothin Ali, who highlighted the plight of roughly one million young people currently out of work, education, or training, describing them as “bored, desperate and lost.”
Under this plan, the government would cover half of the salaries for young people placed in private-sector positions. An initial pilot scheme, targeting regions with scarce job opportunities for youth, is expected to generate 9,000 jobs, with a total investment of £110 million. Areas selected for the pilot include Rotherham, Ceredigion, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Broxtowe, and South Staffordshire, with hopes of eventually expanding the program nationwide.
The party stresses the financial benefits of the policy, noting that individuals not engaged in work, education, or training could cost the state an estimated £240,000 in lifetime benefits. By fostering employment, the initiative aims to reduce welfare expenditures and increase tax revenues. Additionally, participating employers would be exempt from paying National Insurance contributions but would be required to provide training opportunities within the job.
Ali criticized the current government’s approach, saying that short-term job subsidies for benefit claimants with prolonged job searches fall short of what young people need. She condemned proposals where young people might lose Universal Credit if they reject brief work placements, stating, “Threatening young people with cuts to Universal Credit if they don’t accept short-term work placements – that’s not a youth strategy.” She warned, “If we don’t take action now, we’re losing a generation of young people.” The number of 16 to 24-year-olds not in employment, education, or training has increased since the Covid pandemic, nearing one million. A report addressing these concerns by former Labour minister Alan Milburn is anticipated later this year.
At the same conference, Green Party co-deputy leader Rachel Millward spoke about another significant policy: the immediate return of Thames Water and South East Water to public ownership. Millward argued that this could be achieved without compensating shareholders, citing ongoing water supply issues and the absence of new reservoirs as reasons for urgent action. She criticized the prime minister’s “10-year plan of gentle threats and vague notions of control,” calling it insufficient and insisting, “We need public ownership now, and we have all the tools we need to make it happen.”
South East Water responded by emphasizing its commitment to investing £1.9 billion in local infrastructure and resilience over the next five years. They stressed the importance of close collaboration with the communities they serve to provide the best possible customer service. Thames Water has yet to issue a public statement regarding the proposed nationalization
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