Youth scheme failing

A government scheme aimed at helping 160,000 18-24-year-olds find work has so far reached only 4,690 young people.

The Youth Contract offers employers up to £2,275 for taking on a young person who has been out of work for at least six months. It was launched last year by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in a bid to tackle record youth unemployment levels.

However, recent figures show it has only paid out for 4,690 young people to move into long-term work between June 2012 and May 2013 — significantly behind the target.

Labour shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said the scheme was a “disaster”.

“The Youth Contract has utterly failed to get our young people back to work. This flagship scheme is on course to miss its target by more than 92% — no wonder there are still almost a million young people out of work,” he said.

www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hro/news/1077825/youth-contract-branded-disaster-labour-690-people