Unemployment pledge could avoid ‘lost generation’
A multi-million pound raft of measures to tackle unemployment – including thousands of new opportunities for young people – has been unveiled by the government.
Everyone under 25 will be guaranteed a job, training or work experience after six months unemployment, work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper has announced.
The white paper Building Britain’s recovery: achieving full employment sets out a £400m programme over the next 18 months, including £300m ring-fenced for youth unemployment.
A guarantee that every person on benefits for at least six months, whatever their age, would be at least £40 a week better off when moving into work was also announced as the ‘next step’ in the reform of the welfare system.
Expanding on measures previously announced by the chancellor in last week’s pre-budget report, the unemployment plans are part of an additional package of measures introduced to tackle what the government terms the ‘social wave’ of recession, and will include an additional £40m for scores of Working Neighbourhoods Fund hotspot areas as well as housing benefit changes.
Responding to the announcement, Will Nixon, chief executive of the Staffordshire based social enterprise PM Training, said the plans addressed ‘a policy deficit in government thinking’.
‘Efficient and effective training and employment methods, which create genuinely sustainable employment, have never been more crucial if we are to avoid creating a lost generation of young people,’ he said.
‘The promise of jobs, training and work experience for every young unemployed person at six months is no less than they deserve, and will yield wider benefits for society as a whole in terms of community engagement and economic prosperity.
‘The financial incentive of £12.5m for “golden hellos” to encourage employers to take on 16 and 17 year old apprentices makes good sense, particularly at a time when many businesses are still suffering the worst effects of the recession.’
Meanwhile, TUC analysis of official statistics also released this week showed young people are faring better compared with the last recession but warned youth unemployment should continue to be a ‘top priority’.
General secretary Brendan Barber said the recession was a ‘personal tragedy’ for every young person struggling to get work and on the impact of the previous downturn said it was ‘one 80s revival we do not need’.
'The Future Jobs Fund is providing new jobs at decent wages for young people, but it needs to be extended so all long-term unemployed young people can benefit,' he added.
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