Labours new plan to help nearly one million young people on benefits find work faces criticism, with an eight hundred and twenty million pound package aiming to place individuals in sectors like hospitality, construction, and care. The initiative includes funding for training and work experience for three hundred and fifty thousand young people on Universal Credit, with intensive support for some and up to fifty-five thousand guaranteed jobs starting in the spring of two thousand twenty-six. However, refusing to engage with the offered help without a valid reason could lead to a reduction in benefits. The number of young people not in employment, education, or training has been rising, with about nine hundred and forty thousand currently considered Neet, an increase of one hundred and ninety-five thousand in just two years. The British Beer and Pub Association warns that over one pub a day could close in two thousand twenty-five, leading to five thousand six hundred job losses in the industry. Conservative shadow work and pensions secretary Helen Whately criticized the scheme, calling it an admission that the government lacks a plan for growth and questioning its effectiveness in creating sustainable jobs. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson highlighted that one in eight young people are currently locked out of learning and work, describing it as a colossal waste of young talent. She emphasized the need for early intervention and announced a strengthened Risk of Neet Indicator as part of the investment, along with expanding Youth Hubs and piloting automatic enrollment in further education to provide nearly three hundred thousand new skills opportunities.

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