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Charity calls for government action on youth unemployment

04 - 11 - 2013

Almost one million young people are not in education, employment or training and thousands are at risk of facing a lifetime of unemployment, according to The Prince’s Trust.

The charity is calling on the government to take action on the issue of long-term youth unemployment before the UK is confronted with a youth jobs crisis.

According to the figures from the Office for National Statistics, 115,000 18 to 24-year-olds have been out of work for more than two years.

Youth unemployment figures have quadrupled in the last decade.

‘On the brink of a long-term, youth jobs crisis’

Paul Brown, a director at The Prince's Trust, says long-tem unemployed young people require specialist help to get back into the world of work.

‘We believe those young people need and deserve long-term support, otherwise we think we're on the brink of a long-term, youth jobs crisis,’ he says.

‘I've seen time after time, even young people who've been out of work for many years, turn their life around. That has to be worth it for them and for the

economy as a whole.’

Why is youth unemployment so high?

According to Professor John van Reenan at the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, changes to the welfare system in the mid-2000s may have contributed to a shift in focus away from tackling long-term youth unemployment.

Professor van Reenan also cites the education system as a factor contributing to youth unemployment, as he says it is not providing people with the right skills needed for all sections of the economy.

He also acknowledges that the banking crisis and recessions of recent years has made getting and keeping a job difficult.

‘Determined to tackle’

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokesman says: ‘Youth unemployment isn't a new problem, but it's one we are absolutely determined to tackle, and through the Youth Contract we've hugely increased the number of work experience placements and apprenticeships to give young people the help they need to find a job.’

Starting a business

If you have been out of work for a long period of time, you might be considering self-employment as an alternative to employment.

 

If you have skills that would lend themselves to the contracting or freelancing market, we would be delighted to help you get started in your self-employed career.

We support self-employed workers with a range of tax planning, bookkeeping, RTI-compliant payroll and accountancy services. What's more we also offer free comprehensive insurance.

With Foremans, you can trust us to act in your best interest at all times. We can provide you with the reliable and unbiased advice you need to make an informed decision on how to go about your contracting business (i.e. whether you would like to trade as a limited company, under an Umbrella payroll company or as a sole trader). You will also be allocated your own highly knowledgeable Personal Advisor who will be there to ‘hold your hand’ throughout your contracting journey.

If you would like more information about our services, feel free to contact us online or call us on 01244 625 500.
 

 

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General                                                                                                                              

• The user is over 21 and subject to tax in the UK
• The user wishes to minimise their tax liability
• The user is subject to national insurance i.e.he/she is not over retirement age
• Only current tax rates and limits are applied
• No tax mitigation payments are made e.g. pension contributions
• Only 3 digit letter 'L' tax codes shown in the drop down list can be entered 
• The user does not have a turnover greater than £100,000 where fewer reliefs and or higher taxes may apply

Expenses

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VAT

• Limited Company or Sole Trader will be VAT registered
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• The Current tax rates are taken from the Fixed Data Table
• The current Value Added Tax Rate is 20% and is applied to all invoices and expenses as appropriate
• The Director's Salary is fixed in relation to National Insurance thresholds. Higher Rate Taxpayers should consider the advantages and disadvantages of a larger annual salary or bonus
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