Chancellor to pledge to abolish long-term youth unemployment

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will pledge to abolish long-term youth unemployment at her speech at Labour Party conference.

In her speech tomorrow in Liverpool, she will unveil a new plan to get young people back to work, with every young person who has been out of work or education for 18 months offered guaranteed paid work.

Reeves will say: “I believe in a Britain founded on contribution, where we do our duty for each other, and where hard work is matched by fair reward.

“I believe in a Britain based on opportunity, where ordinary kids can flourish, unhindered by their background.

“And I believe that Britain’s real wealth is found not only in the success of the fortunate few, but in the talents of all our people, in every part of our great country.”

…at the 2025 Labour party conference in Liverpool.

Read the latest news, analysis and commentary on the 2025 Labour party conference in Liverpool here on LabourList.

The Youth Guarantee will offer young people a paid work placement, one-to-one support to find a job, a place in college, or an apprenticeship. Reeves said the scheme will ensure participants gain practical experience, skills, and pathways into full-time employment.

“I will never be satisfied while too many people’s potential is wasted, frozen out of employment, education or training. There’s no defending it. It’s bad for business, bad for taxpayers, bad for the economy and it scars people’s prospects throughout their lives.

“We won’t leave a generation of young people to languish without prospects – denied the dignity, the security and ladders of opportunity that good work provides.

“Just as the last Labour government, with its new deal for young people, abolished long-term youth unemployment, I can commit this government to nothing less than the abolition of long-term youth unemployment. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again.”

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Labour party conference 2025: Read more from LabourList: 

What you need to know: 

• SPEECHES: Where is conference and when are Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner speaking?
• VOTES: Revealed: The party rule changes Labour conference could vote on

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