Overview
- The package funds 350,000 training and work‑experience placements in construction, hospitality, and health and social care for young Universal Credit claimants.
- Around 900,000 claimants will get a dedicated work support session followed by four weeks of intensive help leading to one of six pathways, including apprenticeships and programmes with a guaranteed interview.
- Up to 55,000 state‑backed six‑month jobs will begin from spring 2026 in six high‑need regions: Birmingham and Solihull, the East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire and Essex, central and eastern Scotland, and south‑west and south‑eastern Wales.
- Youth Hubs will expand to every local area across Great Britain, taking the network to more than 360 sites, with officials expecting over 1,000 job starts in the first six months.
- The drive responds to ONS data showing about 940,000 16–24‑year‑olds are NEET, while opposition parties and analysts question job quality, measurement, and support for those with sickness or disability.