The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has unveiled a stringent new policy targeting young benefit claimants. Under the scheme, individuals aged 18 to 21 risk having their Universal Credit payments cut if they turn down a government-backed job offer without a "good reason".
Details of the New Youth Employment Push
Starting in April 2026, the initiative will provide up to 55,000 subsidised job placements in six regions identified as having the highest need. The roles, which will last for six months at 25 hours per week, will be fully funded by the government and concentrated in sectors like construction and hospitality.
To be eligible, a young person must have been on Universal Credit and actively seeking work for at least 18 months. Participants will be paid the relevant minimum wage and receive what the DWP terms "fully funded wrap-around support."
"An Offer and an Expectation"
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden emphasised the compulsory nature of the scheme in a BBC interview. He stated that while it is an offer of support, it is also an expectation. Young people would need a valid justification, such as a family emergency, to decline a placement. "This is an offer on one hand, but it's an expectation on the other," McFadden said.
The initial rollout will focus on the following areas:
- Birmingham and Solihull
- The East Midlands
- Greater Manchester
- Hertfordshire and Essex
- Central and East Scotland
- South-West and South-East Wales
Tackling the Rise in NEETs
This crackdown comes against a backdrop of rising youth unemployment. The number of young people classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) has surged by 195,000 in two years, now standing at 940,000. The government attributes this rise largely to increasing rates of sickness and disability.
The new jobs scheme forms part of a broader £820 million package announced in last month's Budget, aiming to create 350,000 training and work experience placements in total.
In the official announcement, Secretary McFadden framed the policy as an investment in futures: "Every young person deserves a fair chance to succeed... This funding is a downpayment on young people’s futures and the future of the country." Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson added that the plan would use smarter data to intervene early and prevent young people from being left behind.
