The Premier League and Channel 4 will help train teenagers as part of Labour’s £45 million plan to create jobs
Ministers will announce major changes to welfare and support for people who are out of work. The goal is to help people move off benefits and into jobs.
As part of this effort, teenagers will receive skills training with organizations like the Premier League, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Channel 4. This is part of a government plan to help hundreds of thousands of young people get into jobs or education, ensuring that “no young person is left behind.”
Big cultural and sports organizations in the UK will offer work or training opportunities through a £45 million program in eight regions of England, including Liverpool, Tees Valley, and the East Midlands.
The government will also make changes to the welfare system and out-of-work support to help more people find work and reduce the rising welfare costs, which increased after the Covid pandemic. Currently, over 9 million people are economically inactive.
However, plans to change the health and disability benefits system will not be revealed until next year. The government has said it will go ahead with Conservative proposals to cut £3 billion in spending, but will make these cuts through its own reforms.
Labour wants to help the one in eight young people aged 18 to 24 who are not in education, work, or training. Ministers have warned that these young people will lose their benefits if they refuse to take up opportunities.
“Nearly 1 million young people are not working or learning. This is bad for them and bad for the country. It’s time for change,” said Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary.
“These groups are already doing great work with young people who face challenges, helping them build the skills and confidence they need to succeed. We need to support and expand this, because our young people deserve the best start in life.”
There are around 70,000 young people aged 18 to 21 on universal credit in areas where the pilot scheme is running. These people could be eligible for skills training. However, ministers hope the “youth guarantee” could eventually help around 340,000 young people across the country.
The wide-ranging measures to reduce economic inactivity will be announced in the “Get Britain Working” white paper, which is supported by £240 million in funding. Labour promises to raise the employment rate from about 75% to 80%, bringing 2 million more people into work.
Kendall’s plan aims to provide more resources to reduce waiting lists at NHS trusts in areas with high levels of economic inactivity. It also includes expanding mental health support and focusing more on preventing people from becoming ill in the first place.
Currently, 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness. Kendall’s plan will pilot three new NHS programs in the north-east of England, South Yorkshire, and West Yorkshire to help prevent people from losing their jobs due to health problems.
In addition to improving health support, jobcentres in England will be replaced with a new £55 million national jobs and careers service. This service will focus more on helping people find work, rather than just managing benefit claims.
Jobcentre staff will be able to offer more personalized help to people looking for jobs and will have access to new coaching programs that teach skills like using AI tools to support job seekers.
However, it will take time to move away from the “tick box” approach in jobcentres, and to train staff to build strong relationships with local employers.
The previous government closed many jobcentres, making it harder for people to get support without traveling long distances.
Mayors and local councils in the pilot areas will be given new powers to combine local health, work, and skills services to meet the specific needs of their communities. This will be supported by £125 million in funding.
An independent review will look at how employers can better support people with disabilities in the workplace. The review will be completed next summer.
The UK is the only major economy where the employment rate has dropped in the last five years, mainly due to long-term illness and a support system that is not prepared to address these issues.
Keir Starmer said the reforms would end the culture of blaming people who haven’t received the support they need to get back to work, and help them find good, well-paying jobs.
The prime minister ruled out calling another general election, even after a petition calling for one gained more than 2 million signatures. He said he wasn’t surprised that those who did not support Labour might want another vote, but reminded people that this isn’t how the system works.
“There will always be people who didn’t want us here in the first place. So, I’m focusing on the decisions I have to make each day.”
Starmer admitted that his first few months in office have been tough, but he said, “I wouldn’t trade a single day in opposition for a day in power. It’s much better to be in power, where you can actually do things, rather than being frustrated in opposition for all those years when we could only talk about what we would do.”
Most of the people signing the petition are from the UK, but it has also received support from other countries. More than 1,200 people from the US and a similar number from France have signed it.
The petition may have been shared by Elon Musk, who is a supporter of the US president-elect, Donald Trump. Musk posted it on his social media platform X. Downing Street has tried to avoid getting into a public argument with the billionaire businessman.
Published: 26th November 2024
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