UK to expand guaranteed jobs scheme to tackle rising youth unemployment

The British government will expand its guaranteed jobs programme nationwide from late November. The move seeks to reconnect long-term unemployed young people with paid work.The UK government will expand its guaranteed jobs programme nationwide, offering more than 90,000 young people six months of government-funded paid work.The British government on Saturday announced a nationwide expansion of its guaranteed jobs programme for young people, aiming to tackle rising youth unemployment and help thousands of young people who have been out of work for extended periods return to employment.The trial scheme, which guarantees paid work to eligible 18 to 24-year-olds receiving Universal Credit, will be rolled out across Britain from the end of November. The expansion is expected to benefit more than 90,000 young people, the Department for Work and Pensions said.Under the programme, participants will receive 25 hours of paid work every week for six months, with the cost covered by the government. The scheme will be available across all areas of England, Scotland and Wales.The eligibility criteria will also be widened from April, allowing young people to access the programme after spending 12 months on Universal Credit, down from the current requirement of 18 months. The announcement comes as Britain grapples with a high number of young people neither working nor pursuing education or training. Official figures showed that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 fell into this category in the second quarter of this year, representing 13 per cent of the age group."The longer someone is out of work, the harder it is to get back in, and no young person should be left waiting on a scrapheap for an opportunity," Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said.UK FACES SCRUTINY OVER RISING YOUTH INACTIVITY The expansion comes ahead of a report due next week by former minister Alan Milburn, a Labour Party ally of Prime Minister Andy Burnham, which is expected to examine the reasons behind rising youth inactivity and recommend measures to help more young people enter employment.The report is expected to outline the factors contributing to the growing number of young people who are disconnected from both the labour market and education, while suggesting ways to improve their access to jobs.The government's latest move is aimed at ensuring that young people who have remained unemployed for prolonged periods receive paid work opportunities rather than continue relying on welfare support.- EndsWith inputs from Reuters