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UK to expand jobs scheme to tackle Neets crisis
The Government plans to expand its Jobs Guarantee across Great Britain from the end of November, offering eligible young Universal Credit claimants six months of paid work. Ministers say the scheme is intended to reduce youth inactivity and help address the growing number of young people not in education, employment or training.
The programme is expected to help more than 90,000 people into work by March 2029, with more than 400 employers signed up. From April 2027, eligibility will begin after 12 months out of work, instead of 18. The expansion is part of a £2.5 billion package targeting 500,000 opportunities, ahead of Alan Milburn’s review, which is expected to propose benefit reforms, an opportunity guarantee and sanctions for refusing opportunities.
In short
- Jobs Guarantee to expand across Great Britain from November.
- More than 90,000 young people are expected to benefit by March 2029.
- Eligibility will start after 12 months out of work from April 2027.
Explained simply
The term NEET refers to young people who are not in education, employment or training. It covers people in different circumstances, including those looking for work and those who may face barriers to starting it; youth inactivity is a broader term for being outside work and education.
Universal Credit is a benefit for people on low incomes or out of work. The Jobs Guarantee is a government scheme offering eligible young claimants a fixed period of paid work, with employers providing the jobs and ministers setting the rules.
The scheme sits within a wider effort to increase young people’s access to work and training. Alan Milburn is reviewing support for young people, including possible changes to benefits and expectations around taking up opportunities.
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