Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden said paid work should form part of the response to worsening youth mental health and unemployment, as Labour’s youth jobs guarantee scheme begins. Visiting Boots in Nottingham, he said early participants who had spent long periods out of work had already gained confidence, routine and improved social contact through paid roles. The policy matters because the number of young people not in education, employment or training has exceeded one million, raising concerns about long-term inactivity and reliance on benefits.

Under the scheme, employers such as Boots hire 18- to 21-year-olds for six months while taxpayers cover their wages; recruits are working in warehouse and administrative jobs. McFadden argued that universal credit too often categorises people as either fit or unfit for work, leaving some without adequate support or expectations, and suggested welfare reform would be part of the response. Former minister Alan Milburn has warned youth inactivity could reach 1.25 million by 2030 without intervention, while Sainsbury’s has separately pledged 10,000 youth internships.