Promise to young people as Government aims to Get Britain Working again

Described as the biggest reform to employment support for a generation, the Government has launched its Get Britain Working White Paper.

The 68-page White Paper focuses on:

•   tackling economic inactivity caused by ill health
•    creating a new jobs and careers service that can support more people into work and to get on in work
•     the offer of a Youth Guarantee.

With partnerships in place with the Premier League, Channel 4 and the Royal Shakespeare Company among others, this last proposal means that every 18–21-year-old in England will have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities or will be provided with help to find a job.

In addition, eight youth “trailblazer” areas, including in Liverpool, the West Midlands and Tees Valley, will be set up with £45 million funding to identify those most at risk of falling out of education or employment and to match them to opportunities for education, training or work.

With almost 1.5 million people unemployed, over nine million inactive and a record 2.8 million out of work due to long-term sickness, the Government is promising a fundamentally different approach to the employment support system.

As well as deploying extra medical staff to cut waiting lists in areas of high inactivity and expanding access to mental health support, this will see the Jobcentre system transformed into a new national jobs and careers service.

With the support of mayors and councils, the aim will be to focus on people’s skills and careers instead of just monitoring and managing benefit claims.

However, it should be noted that much of the White Paper will be subject to review and consultation and it may be 2026 before some of the measures are properly introduced.

Helping to employ people with disabilities and health conditions

An independent review will be launched into how employers can be better supported to employ, and to keep in employment, those with disabilities and other health problems.

Based on this review, the Government will introduce measures to overhaul the health and disability benefits system so that it better supports people to enter and remain in work.

A spring 2025 consultation will offer disabled people an opportunity to help shape policy changes that directly affect them

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