Youth jobs grant | Government offers cash incentives to employers hiring young unemployed people

The Government will offer businesses £3,000 for every young person they hire under new plans aimed at tackling rising youth unemployment.

The “youth jobs grant” will apply to employers who recruit people aged 18 to 24 who are on benefits and have been looking for work for at least six months. Ministers hope the scheme will help around 60,000 young people into employment over the next three years.

The announcement comes as ministers grapple with high levels of youth unemployment. According to government figures reported by the BBC, more than 950,000 people aged 16 to 24 are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET) – roughly one in eight people in that age group.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden described the challenge as a “deep rooted” issue when announcing the policy during a speech in east London.