Delivering a Better Future for Young People
Britain should be a country where hard work means you can get on in life. Labour knows that young people have big hopes for the future, but too many are frustrated by a lack of opportunities and security. Labour is backing young people — making sure they receive the opportunities, training and support they need to achieve and thrive.
Skills to Get On in Life
Labour is investing in skills to help young people get on in life. Our new ambition is for two-thirds of young people to go to university, further education or take on a gold-standard apprenticeship by the age of 25. This will see technical qualifications — undervalued and overlooked by successive Tory governments — afforded the same respect as university degrees.
Labour’s new ‘fast track’ apprenticeships, alongside reforms to the Growth and Skills Levy, will deliver 50,000 more apprenticeships backed by £725 million of funding. In our first year, we helped over 350,000 people into apprenticeships — 13,920 more than the year before. This sits alongside our Youth Guarantee, which provides new funding for extra work coach support, more training and work placements, and more Youth Hubs where young people can access CV advice, skills training and careers guidance.
A renewed skills system is being built through new Technical Excellence Colleges with state-of-the-art facilities that will equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in tomorrow’s job market, in sectors from construction to clean energy. New V Levels will give learners more choice and flexibility.
Free AI foundations training will upskill 10 million workers, protecting young people from the risks of AI while equipping them with the skills and confidence they need to seize the opportunities AI brings.
Raising Living Standards for Young People
The high cost of living has hit young people hard, but Labour has taken immediate action to tackle this.
A higher minimum wage: Labour has increased the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, which will mean a pay rise of £1,500 for a full-time worker aged 18–20 and £900 for those aged 21 and over.
Protections for renters: Labour’s Renters’ Rights Act is making renting fairer, more secure and more affordable for young people, including by ending “no fault” evictions and banning bidding wars.
Support to get on the housing ladder: The new permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme is helping first-time buyers buy a home with a deposit as small as 5%. And we’re supporting those on low incomes to build up savings through the Help to Save scheme.
Building the next generation of homes: Labour is delivering 1.5 million new homes over this Parliament to help unlock the dream of home ownership for young people — including by bringing forward the next generation of new towns across the country, as well as the largest ever investment in social and affordable homes.
Cutting the cost of living: This is on top of freezing rail fares, capping prescription charges under £10, and cutting £150 from the average energy bill from April.
Wellbeing and Mental Health Support
Labour is expanding Mental Health Support Teams in schools so that pupils get the very most out of their education. Labour’s Young Futures Hubs will bring together services for teenagers and young people under one roof, with support ranging from wellbeing and mental health to careers advice — especially aimed at helping those at risk of being drawn into gangs, violence or knife crime.
What Labour is Delivering
Young people can be confident that:
- New gold-standard apprenticeships and Technical Excellence Colleges are creating real routes into good careers
- 50,000 more apprenticeships are being created, backed by £725 million of funding
- The minimum wage has been boosted, meaning a £1,500 pay rise for full-time workers aged 18–20
- No-fault evictions are being ended, making renting fairer and more secure
- 1.5 million new homes are being built, with the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme helping first-time buyers with deposits as small as 5%
- Free AI training is being offered to equip young people with the skills for tomorrow’s jobs
- Mental Health Support Teams are expanding in schools, and Young Futures Hubs will bring support services together in one place
- Rail fares are frozen, energy bills are coming down, and prescriptions are kept under £10