1-20 of 108 results for subject:Unemployment
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 2.738 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.01 seconds
- Search query
- subject:Unemployment
- We searched for
- subject_t:Unemployment OR subject_t:"Economic inactivity" OR subject_t:"Economically inactive" OR subject_t:"Economically underactive" OR subject_ses:93371
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
Member
More
Primary member
Answering member
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
More
Publisher
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the collection of data on young people who are not in education, employment or training.
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the collection of data on young people who are not in education, employment or training.
The government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.
For young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), or at risk, the Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper set a clear ambition for improving identification, tracking and data sharing, so that prevention or reengagement support can be targeted at those who need it most.
The department has made a new risk of NEET indicator (RONI) tool available to local areas to identify risk earlier and more consistently, and is investing in support for monitoring attendance in further education to enable earlier intervention.
We are also improving data quality and sharing across education transitions, providing clearer guidance on the use of RONI tools, and exploring the safe and ethical use of artificial intelligence to support professional judgement.
To ask His Majesty's Government what targets they have set for reducing the number of young people aged 16 and 17 with an unknown education, employment or training status.
To ask His Majesty's Government what targets they have set for reducing the number of young people aged 16 and 17 with an unknown education, employment or training status.
Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.
Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.
To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons why 32,100 young people aged 16 and 17 have an unknown education, employment or training status.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons why 32,100 young people aged 16 and 17 have an unknown education, employment or training status.
Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.
Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.
To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.
To ask His Majesty's Government what information will be collected to measure the success of the new Risk of NEET Indicator tool.
To ask His Majesty's Government what information will be collected to measure the success of the new Risk of NEET Indicator tool.
Reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is a shared priority for government and local authorities, preventing the impacts of disengagement on individuals, the economy and society.
Local authorities support this by maintaining effective systems to identify and support NEET young people. There is already strong practice across the sector, often in the face of significant challenges. The department has written to all local authorities and contacted those where the proportion of young people whose activity is not known is in the highest quintile to provide support and challenge, understand local circumstances, and agree actions.
To support local authorities, we have introduced a new risk of NEET indicator tool and guidance. The department is continuing to refine it with local authorities and monitoring its impact on earlier identification of young people at risk of becoming NEET.
My Lords, I have been reflecting on why the lifelong learning commitment matters: the world of work has changed and continues to do so. People will need new skills throughout their working lives. We need to help people get into and, just as importantly, stay in work as jobs and...
My Lords, I have been reflecting on why the lifelong learning commitment matters: the world of work has changed and continues to do so. People will need new skills throughout their working lives. We need to help people get into and, just as importantly, stay in work as jobs and...
My Lords, I, too, pay tribute to Lord Younger, our colleague on these Benches who has left the House, not of his own volition. He is a great loss to the House, as are all the hereditary Peers who have left us. I also thank my noble friend Lord Evans...
My Lords, I, too, pay tribute to Lord Younger, our colleague on these Benches who has left the House, not of his own volition. He is a great loss to the House, as are all the hereditary Peers who have left us. I also thank my noble friend Lord Evans...
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Alan Milburn's report Young people and work: interim report, published on 28 May; and what steps they intend to take to address the rising number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
To ask His Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Alan Milburn's report Young people and work: interim report, published on 28 May; and what steps they intend to take to address the rising number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
My Lords, this Government’s priority is to ensure that young people have the best opportunities to get on in life. That is why we commissioned Alan Milburn to identify the underlying drivers of the NEET participation crisis. His interim report shows that this is a systemic challenge across departments and society. We are already taking action across education, health, youth services and welfare, and we will build further on this as we consider full recommendations from Alan Milburn in the autumn.
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name in the Order Paper. I understand that there is a debate going on about where I should be sitting. If I have got it wrong, I am really sorry.
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name in the Order Paper. I understand that there is a debate going on about where I should be sitting. If I have got it wrong, I am really sorry.
I thank the Minister for her Answer, which is encouraging. We on these Benches welcome the Milburn report. It is a serious, research-driven diagnosis of a problem that has accelerated since the pandemic. The NEET problem is complex and cuts across almost every government department—and it is more than welfare policy, as the Minister has already said. It is about interaction with education, skills, health and the labour market, economic growth and young people’s ability to transition from school to the labour market.
We all agree that economic growth matters and business confidence matters, and, most importantly, we need employers who are willing and able to afford to hire young people in the current climate. The latter is something we can address right now. Why will the Government not revoke the damaging policies—such as the increases in national insurance, increasing employment burdens and rising labour costs—that are preventing employers employing young people? That
will reinvigorate the number of entry-level jobs, get young people into work and keep them there.
I thank the Minister for her Answer, which is encouraging. We on these Benches welcome the Milburn report. It is a serious, research-driven diagnosis of a problem that has accelerated since the pandemic. The NEET problem is complex and cuts across almost every government department—and it is more than welfare policy, as the Minister has already said. It is about interaction with education, skills, health and the labour market, economic growth and young people’s ability to transition from school to the labour market.
We all agree that economic growth matters and business confidence matters, and, most importantly, we need employers who are willing and able to afford to hire young people in the current climate. The latter is something we can address right now. Why will the Government not revoke the damaging policies—such as the increases in national insurance, increasing employment burdens and rising labour costs—that are preventing employers employing young people? That
will reinvigorate the number of entry-level jobs, get young people into work and keep them there.
I was with the noble Baroness for the first part of her question. She is right: the Milburn report does identify a wide-ranging problem and a need for systemic and country-wide action. I am afraid that she may not have read it as carefully as she should have in relation to the last part of her question. Alan Milburn is very clear in paragraph 266 that
“it is worth remembering that those under 21 remain exempt from employer NICs and, as the review has already highlighted, the increase in youth inactivity long precedes any recent changes”
to NEETs. Employers do not pay national insurance contributions for under-21s, or for apprentices under 25. If national insurance contributions were really responsible for the rise in NEETs, why did the number increase by 250,000 before the general election and before any changes to employer national insurance were made?
My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Hobby, and my noble friend Lord Blackwater, on their maiden speeches. It is great to have both noble Lords in the House, with their differing views; I am sure that they will add much value between them.
It will not...
My Lords, I add my congratulations to the noble Lord, Lord Hobby, and my noble friend Lord Blackwater, on their maiden speeches. It is great to have both noble Lords in the House, with their differing views; I am sure that they will add much value between them.
It will not...
My Lords, one of the most worrying figures of all, in the most worrying of areas, is the increase of economic inactivity and people who are not required to look for work or who are not even searching for it. Given the impact on young people, which I know the Minister is very concerned about, why does he think that this figure and others are going up on this Government’s watch?
My Lords, one of the most worrying figures of all, in the most worrying of areas, is the increase of economic inactivity and people who are not required to look for work or who are not even searching for it. Given the impact on young people, which I know the Minister is very concerned about, why does he think that this figure and others are going up on this Government’s watch?
My Lords, I begin by making it very clear that we on these Benches believe it is vital that young people are supported into work. We wholeheartedly support the announcement about the new opportunities for young people, and we want to see them succeed. The evidence is clear that periods...
My Lords, I begin by making it very clear that we on these Benches believe it is vital that young people are supported into work. We wholeheartedly support the announcement about the new opportunities for young people, and we want to see them succeed. The evidence is clear that periods...
My Lords, recent analysis shows that in 2025-26 the real cost of hiring an 18 to 20 year-old on the minimum wage has risen by around 13% compared with just over 3% for someone on average earnings, despite under-21s largely being outside employer national insurance contributions. In light of this, what assessment have the Government made of the combined impact of the national insurance contributions and minimum wage policy on youth employment, and how are they ensuring that young people are not priced out of entry-level work or any other part of the labour market?
My Lords, recent analysis shows that in 2025-26 the real cost of hiring an 18 to 20 year-old on the minimum wage has risen by around 13% compared with just over 3% for someone on average earnings, despite under-21s largely being outside employer national insurance contributions. In light of this, what assessment have the Government made of the combined impact of the national insurance contributions and minimum wage policy on youth employment, and how are they ensuring that young people are not priced out of entry-level work or any other part of the labour market?
We made a commitment to equalise the 18 to 20 national minimum wage with the national living wage. We asked, as all recent Governments have done, the independent Low Pay Commission to recommend youth rates to enable us to do that, and we also included within the remit the expectation that it would consider how to do this in a way that avoids increases in unemployment. The April 2026 uplift ensures that the Government are taking cautious steps towards achieving this commitment, and that is the way we will continue to progress.
Lords committee stage fourth day. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 24 agreed to. Schedule 6 agreed to. Clause 25 agreed to. Schedule 7 agreed to. Clause 26 agreed to. Schedule 8 agreed to. Clauses 27 and 28 agreed to. Schedule 9 agreed to. Clauses 29 and 30 agreed to. Schedule 10 agreed to. Clause 31 agreed to. Schedule 11 agreed to. Clause 32 agreed to. Schedule 12 agreed to.
Lords committee stage fourth day. Schedule 5 agreed to. Clause 24 agreed to. Schedule 6 agreed to. Clause 25 agreed to. Schedule 7 agreed to. Clause 26 agreed to. Schedule 8 agreed to. Clauses 27 and 28 agreed to. Schedule 9 agreed to. Clauses 29 and 30 agreed to. Schedule...
My Lords, I thank the Benches opposite for allowing me to speak. I was trying to sort out my timing on the Statement, and I messed up there, so I thank noble Lords for their understanding.
The amendments in this group are all in the name of the noble Lord, Lord...
My Lords, I thank the Benches opposite for allowing me to speak. I was trying to sort out my timing on the Statement, and I messed up there, so I thank noble Lords for their understanding.
The amendments in this group are all in the name of the noble Lord, Lord...
Tabled by
Baroness Stedman-Scott
122A: After Clause 31, insert the following new Clause—
“Use of adult skills and employment funding
(1) Any allocation of funding made to a strategic authority under this Act for the purposes of adult skills, education, or employment support may be used only for activities which—
(a) support adult education or...
Tabled by
Baroness Stedman-Scott
122A: After Clause 31, insert the following new Clause—
“Use of adult skills and employment funding
(1) Any allocation of funding made to a strategic authority under this Act for the purposes of adult skills, education, or employment support may be used only for activities which—
(a) support adult education or...
My Lords, I acknowledge the work that the Government are doing to improve the situation for young people, but businesses are clear that the Employment Rights Act, the Government’s minimum wage rules and spiralling business rates are the direct causes of young people being kept out of the labour market. We can solve this problem only by enabling business to create jobs. How are His Majesty’s Government going to get employers to employ people when the risk environment that has been created is just so high, and what are they going to do to change this problem?
My Lords, I acknowledge the work that the Government are doing to improve the situation for young people, but businesses are clear that the Employment Rights Act, the Government’s minimum wage rules and spiralling business rates are the direct causes of young people being kept out of the labour market. We can solve this problem only by enabling business to create jobs. How are His Majesty’s Government going to get employers to employ people when the risk environment that has been created is just so high, and what are they going to do to change this problem?
It is obviously the case that we need to support employers to take on young people who have been unemployed for a long period, which is why we will fully fund the job opportunities for young people who have been on universal credit for 18 months. But if it were the case that only the actions of this Government had been responsible for youth unemployment then we would not have seen the figures rising since May 2022 and we would not be seeing the same problem around the world. What is important is that this Government are taking action, including providing the financial support, to ensure that young people get back into work. I am glad that the noble Baroness supports those efforts.
My Lords, does the Minister accept that the most effective way to reduce the number of young people who are NEET is to secure stronger economic growth, giving employers
the confidence, incentive and capacity to hire? Furthermore, under Labour’s proposed new youth guarantee, which is very welcome, how will the Government ensure that young people are matched to sectors for which they are genuinely suited, so that employers are not left exasperated by placements that break down almost immediately due to poor alignment?
My Lords, does the Minister accept that the most effective way to reduce the number of young people who are NEET is to secure stronger economic growth, giving employers
the confidence, incentive and capacity to hire? Furthermore, under Labour’s proposed new youth guarantee, which is very welcome, how will the Government ensure that young people are matched to sectors for which they are genuinely suited, so that employers are not left exasperated by placements that break down almost immediately due to poor alignment?
I am very glad to hear the noble Baroness’s recognition of the importance of the youth guarantee announcements that we have been making today. We also announced the first six areas in which we will work with intermediaries, and directly with employers, to find those placements. An important element of the job guarantee will be the additional support that we can place around young people, who, by virtue of having been unemployed for 18 months, will undoubtedly need that additional support, including identifying where their talents lie so that they can then be used to the max.
My Lords, KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation have launched their August 2025 jobs report. Permanent placements fell for the 17th consecutive month. The number of candidates looking for work has increased, fuelled by redundancies, fewer job openings and economic business threats. Merck has pulled the plug on a £1 billion research site, and the prospect of the Employment Rights Bill and its impact is sending economic shivers down the spines of business. At the end of the list, as the Minister has said, are young people who are struggling to enter the labour market for the first time. I am grateful for the explanation about the programmes that the Government are undertaking, but can the Minister tell us what work they are doing with employers—the only ones that can create jobs—to incentivise them to help young people and integrate them into their workforce?
My Lords, KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation have launched their August 2025 jobs report. Permanent placements fell for the 17th consecutive month. The number of candidates looking for work has increased, fuelled by redundancies, fewer job openings and economic business threats. Merck has pulled the plug on a £1 billion research site, and the prospect of the Employment Rights Bill and its impact is sending economic shivers down the spines of business. At the end of the list, as the Minister has said, are young people who are struggling to enter the labour market for the first time. I am grateful for the explanation about the programmes that the Government are undertaking, but can the Minister tell us what work they are doing with employers—the only ones that can create jobs—to incentivise them to help young people and integrate them into their workforce?
My Lords, the noble Baroness commented on vacancies. She is very aware, as I am, of the facts of the economy and will know that vacancies have been declining steadily since spring 2022, when they reached a historic high. The decline in vacancies is a continuation of longer-term trends, but the noble Baroness is absolutely right: our job is to make sure that we give young people the chance to do this. She will know, for example, that employers who take on a young person under 21 or an apprentice under 25 are given complete relief on basic national insurance class 1 contributions until they hit £50,000. That makes a real difference. Above all, what will make a difference, if we want employers to take on young people, is to make them worth having. We have to skill them up, and give them the confidence to get out there and the ability to work in the workplace. That is what we are investing in now.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on employment opportunities for young people in the hospitality sector, and of the consequences for the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increased employer National Insurance contributions on employment opportunities for young people in the hospitality sector, and of the consequences for the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training.
A detailed assessment of the policy has been published by HMRC in their Tax Information and Impact Note. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) also published the Economic and Fiscal Outlook (EFO), which sets out a detailed forecast of the economy and public finances. With all policies considered, the OBR's March 2025 EFO forecasts the employment level to increase from 33.6 million in 2024 to 34.8 million in 2029.
This Government is committed to providing young people with the best start to their working lives. The Government will deliver a Youth Guarantee so that all 18 to 21-year-olds in England have access to education, training or help to find a job or an apprenticeship. To support this, we are funding eight trailblazers across England to test how different elements of the Guarantee can be brought together into a coherent offer for young people. The Government is also expanding Sector-based Work Academy Programmes to provide 100,000 places in 2025/26, providing a work placement, training and a guaranteed interview that can kickstart a new career and support young people into work.