Record high youth unemployment levels at 1.02 million in the third quarter 2011

One in five 16-24s are not in full-time work, education or training

Biggest year-on-year increase of Neets: North West of England – up 42,000 to 204,000

Yorkshire and Humber – up 33,000 to 157,000

West Midlands – up 19,000 to 136,000

The latest Neet (‘Not in education, employment or training’) statistics have come as a shock and show that now is definitely the time for action to be taken to address this problem.

The government has responded with the announcement of a new ‘Youth Contract’ scheme. This involves over £950 million being used to provide subsidised work and training placements across the country for young people on the Jobseekers Allowance. The scheme will last 3 years, starting next April, and give employers subsidies worth £2275 for every job they provide; taking on 160,000 18-24 year olds for 6 months. Up to 410,000 work and training placements will be created in England, Wales and Scotland and a £50m programme for the 25,000 most disadvantaged 16 and 17 year olds in England will be created to get them into apprenticeships or work.

The government has, of course, come under fire from the opposition over where funding will be found for this new venture. In the Autumn Statement announced last week, George Osborne proposed that there would be a freeze of working tax credits for up to 3 years, which has raised concerns that this would hit millions of people earning less than £28,000. The government is keen to show that the funding would not be wasted in any way, with warnings that anyone who refused to join the scheme will be forced to do unpaid work, and drop-outs risk losing their benefits.

Announced by Nick Clegg in Leeds (my university), this news has really hit home. With a recent spate of violent attacks by a group of masked youths in the city, there is a definite consensus that this problem needs to be dealt with before it escalates even further out of control. Whether you agree with the details of this new policy or not, there is little doubt that it’s time for the government to commit to finding solutions. Hopefully it’ll bring about a much needed change, and young people will make good use of the opportunities offered to them.

Toni Kerridge