Stories

Mon, 16 Mar 2026

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 Firms to be paid to hire unemployed young people

Payments of £3,000 for each 18-24 year old given a job are among proposals to tackle youth unemployment being announced later.

* Government proposes £1bn funding to create 200,000 jobs and tackle youth unemployment
* Businesses will receive grants: £3,000 for every young person (18-24) hired who has been jobless for 6 months+, and £2,000 per new apprentice for small/medium firms
* Labour criticizes Conservatives over "disappearing" work opportunities; number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets) neared 1 million in final quarter of last year
* Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden announces Youth Jobs Grant to support 60,000 people
* Existing jobs guarantee expanded from age 18-21 to 24-year-olds for those on Universal Credit
* Government claims new measures will "significantly reverse" increase in youth unemployment; Labour says it's too little, too late and proposes cutting business rates and rolling back legislation