UK / Local authorities say youth unemployment schemes does work

National schemes to tackle youth unemployment are not working, the group representing English councils has said.

The LGA said the current system was over-complicated, with 35 different national schemes across 13 different age boundaries costing £15bn a year.

Research by the LGA also found a drop of 8% in the number of young people in England who started a scheme last year compared with three years ago.

The government has insisted it is not complacent about youth unemployment.

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesman said: “This report fails to recognise that despite youth unemployment being a big challenge for a decade, the level has fallen by 38,000 since last year, and the number of young people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has fallen for 14 consecutive months.”

He said the department was working locally with businesses and councils to help young people into work through Jobcentre Plus.

He said the Youth Contract alone would offer help to nearly 500,000 young people over three years.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at 

via BBC News – Local authorities warn on youth unemployment schemes.