Pat McFadden, the UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, emphasized the importance of work and opportunities in the government’s approach to welfare reform during an event in Camden, London, on Monday. Speaking at the Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair, McFadden outlined the department’s expanded focus on improving skills and employment prospects for people over the age of 18, alongside its traditional benefits role.

Addressing recent data revealing that 1.01 million young people between 16 and 24 are classified as Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET), McFadden rejected negative stereotypes about youth motivation. He asserted that most young people he meets are eager to work and actively seeking employment, although he stressed that employers must also play a role in addressing youth unemployment.

The government has recently unveiled the Youth Guarantee, an £823 million initiative aimed at reducing long-term unemployment among young people by providing financial incentives to employers. Under the scheme, businesses receive £3,000 for each young person they hire who has been out of work for an extended period, alongside additional funding for training and apprenticeships. McFadden highlighted retailer Marks & Spencer’s pledge to create 1,000 new training opportunities as a positive example, urging more employers to follow suit.

McFadden described welfare reform as encompassing these efforts to increase employment and training opportunities. “The best way into welfare reform is to put work and opportunity at its heart,” he said, noting that hiring incentives and the creation of 300,000 extra work experience placements all form part of this vision.

At the Camden job fair, young job seekers described the challenges they face in securing employment. Daley, 21, from north London, said meeting employers face-to-face was beneficial compared to relying on online applications, which often go unanswered. Similarly, Amina, 24, a recent law graduate on universal credit, spoke of the difficulties in breaking into a competitive job market. “I’ve been looking for a job for over six months,” she said, adding that she attended the job fair to make a more personal connection with potential employers.

Brendan, 19, who left college last year, described the online application process as a “black hole” due to the lack of feedback from employers. He welcomed the effort made by companies participating in the fair to engage directly with job seekers.

While Labour has faced criticism for policies perceived as increasing costs for employers, such as national insurance contributions and minimum wage adjustments, the government maintains that initiatives like the Youth Guarantee demonstrate its commitment to supporting youth employment through collaboration with both large and small businesses.