19 October 2025
IFS analyses Government guarantee for young people on Universal Credit
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced a guarantee to provide paid work to every young person who has been receiving Universal Credit for 18 months without being in education or employment. It is also reported that should those young people refuse such work they could face sanctions.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has examined past policies to increase employment among unemployed young people and found that they are among the hardest groups of people to engage and change behaviour. Yet, early unemployment can have a lasting negative on young people throughout their careers, so action is clearly needed to support them.
Of the nearly one million 16-to-24-year-olds who are NEET, only around 100,000 meet the criteria targeted by the policy. Analysis of over 200 past employment programmes suggests that only around 5% of those taking part are in employment after two years. The Kickstart programme for young people resulted in around 10% getting into sustained employment.
It found the programmes that were most effective combined a work placement with training or education.
Read the full analysis from IFS.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has examined past policies to increase employment among unemployed young people and found that they are among the hardest groups of people to engage and change behaviour. Yet, early unemployment can have a lasting negative on young people throughout their careers, so action is clearly needed to support them.
Of the nearly one million 16-to-24-year-olds who are NEET, only around 100,000 meet the criteria targeted by the policy. Analysis of over 200 past employment programmes suggests that only around 5% of those taking part are in employment after two years. The Kickstart programme for young people resulted in around 10% getting into sustained employment.
It found the programmes that were most effective combined a work placement with training or education.
Read the full analysis from IFS.
0 Comments
Latest career development news
View all
CDI urges families to ask "what is your school providing?" as Res...
As Level 3 and GCSE Results Days approach, CDI is calling on families to ask their child's school what careers support is on offer - before, on an...
11 August 2026
CDI launch new resources on Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs...
Two new resources on Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs) have been launched as part of the Technical Education Programme.
06 August 2026
