The Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, has unveiled a £45 million Youth Guarantee scheme
DWP payment dates for universal credit, PIP, and other benefits
Young Brits born between 2004 and 2007 are to be thrown a vital lifeline as the Government launches a major jobs and training blitz to stop them being shut out of the workforce.
The Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, has unveiled a £45 million Youth Guarantee scheme – a promise that every 18 to 21 year old in England will get the chance to “earn or learn”.
The move targets thousands of young people born between 2004 and 2007, amid stark figures showing 987,000 are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Launching the initiative at Liverpool FC’s Anfield stadium, Ms Kendall said it was time to “champion young people” and give them a fair shot at success.
“Young people are our future – and yet for too long they have been denied access to the opportunities and support they need,” she said.
The Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, has unveiled a £45 million Youth Guarantee scheme (Image: Getty)
“At Liverpool FC, the home of champions, we are championing young people to get the skills, education and jobs they require to achieve their ambitions.”
The trailblazer programme is being piloted across eight regions of England, each set to test and refine how to reach the hardest-hit youngsters. These include:
- Liverpool City Region
- West Midlands
- Tees Valley
- East Midlands
- West of England
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough
- London (two pilots)
The aim is to connect disengaged young people to training, apprenticeships, jobs, mental health support, and even free travel passes – helping tackle the crisis head-on.
Case studies of success
The Liverpool launch brought forward success stories like Ethan, who has cerebral palsy and is now working in the Civil Service after receiving mental health and housing support. Or Luke, who secured a marketing apprenticeship at Liverpool FC, and Ellie, who joined a work placement scheme after receiving a free laptop.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said: “Too many [young people] have been held back from getting on in life, not because of a lack of talent, but by a lack of opportunity – and I have made it my mission to put that right.”
The region has secured £5 million to lead the way. Its BeMore portal, which puts career advice “straight in your pocket,” will be part of the toolkit. A panel of young people will also be involved in shaping decisions.
Over 1,000 18–21-year-olds and 40 major employers, including Google, John Lewis, and the Liverpool FC Foundation, joined the launch event at Anfield – held just three days before the club lifts the Premier League trophy.
The Youth Guarantee forms part of the broader Plan for Change – a government roadmap that includes £1 billion to help disabled people and others with long-term health conditions into work, plus an overhaul of Jobcentres to match employer needs.
Charities praise the move
Richard Rigby, Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust, said: “With almost one million young people across the UK waking up today with no job, no training, and no education… the prominence being given to developing a Youth Guarantee is absolutely vital.”
Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, CEO of Youth Employment UK, said: “Young people, particularly those who are care experienced or care leavers face multiple barriers… I am pleased to see those barriers recognised and tailored support put in place.”
Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO of Impetus, added: “Our research shows that factors like socioeconomic disadvantage… can combine to make a young person nearly three times more likely to be NEET – but this is not inevitable.”
The Youth Guarantee is currently limited to England, where education and employment support is managed directly by the UK Government. Wales and Scotland run their own youth programmes, though officials say learnings will be shared across devolved nations.
