Excellence Gateway
Published: 16 December 2009
Over 100,000 new opportunities for young people will mean that everyone under 25 will be guaranteed a job, training or work experience after six months unemployment, Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced.
She also announced a guarantee that every person on benefits for at least six months, whatever their age, would be at least £40 per week better off when moving into work. This new back to work credit will guarantee work pays. This is the next step in the reform of the welfare system to make sure work pays and help people off benefits and into jobs.
The White Paper – Building Britain's Recovery: Achieving Full Employment – sets out a £400 million programme over the next 18 months, including £300 million to tackle youth unemployment.
On top of the opportunities set out in the White Paper, which includes more help for those looking to start their own businesses, the government also announced further jobs in policing and transport earmarked for those struggling to find work.
Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
“In the 1980s youth unemployment continued to rise for four years after the recession ended. A generation of talent was wasted. We are determined that must never happen again, so we will guarantee a job, training or work experience at six months for 18 to 24 year olds. “And, because we believe that work is the best way out of poverty we are continuing with radical reform to the welfare system. This means that everyone – be they lone parents, carers or disabled people will get the support they need, not only to get work – but to stay in work. We will also guarantee that people will be better off in a job than on benefits.”
“In the 1980s youth unemployment continued to rise for four years after the recession ended. A generation of talent was wasted. We are determined that must never happen again, so we will guarantee a job, training or work experience at six months for 18 to 24 year olds.
“And, because we believe that work is the best way out of poverty we are continuing with radical reform to the welfare system. This means that everyone – be they lone parents, carers or disabled people will get the support they need, not only to get work – but to stay in work. We will also guarantee that people will be better off in a job than on benefits.”
Ministers believe that unemployment and youth unemployment will continue to rise further in the new year, but the Government intends is to work with businesses and employers to aim to get youth unemployment falling in the second half of next year.
The White Paper also sets out more help for older workers, professionals, lone parents and carers as part of a wide ranging package of support designed to help jobseekers.
Families will benefit as the Paper makes it clear that jobs should be high quality and offer the chance of progression and development, emphasising the importance of everyone whether in or out of work having the chance to improve their skills.
These proposals also mark the next steps on the Government's benefit reform programme, which is dedicated to ensuring that almost everyone on benefits is at some point on the road back to work.
People will get more support from Jobcentre Plus (JCP) as the Paper outlines a more personalised service for customers including piloting a new more flexible approach in four JCP districts: Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire; South-west Wales; Glasgow; and Greater Manchester.
Alongside the White Paper, Ministers launched a cross-Government 16–24 participation strategy, Investing in Potential, setting out what the Government is doing to maximise the number of young people aged 16 to 24 in education, training and employment.
The White Paper £400 million package is funded by savings because unemployment is lower than expected in this year's Budget.
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