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UK Edition
21st November 2025
 
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THE HOT STORY

Almost 1m young people still not in work or education

Almost a million young people are still out of work, education or training, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of so-called Neets - those aged 16-24 who are unemployed or economically inactive in the UK - had fallen slightly to 946,000 between July and September, down from 948,000 in the three months before. In response to the figures, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said a planned "Youth Guarantee" scheme would ensure young people "have access to education, training, an apprenticeship - or ultimately guaranteed paid work if they cannot find a job." McFadden said the government wanted to make sure "every young person has the chance to succeed, no matter where they are from or what their background is."
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LEGAL

Some migrants to face 20 year wait for settled status

Migrants who are in the UK legally could have to wait up to 20 years before they can settle permanently, under government proposals. Doctors and nurses working in the NHS will be able to settle after five years. The "brightest and best" international talent could have settlement fast-tracked, with high earners and entrepreneurs able to stay after just three years, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said. Christina McAnea, Unison's general secretary, said: "Forcing staff, many of whom stepped up during Covid, to wait . . . years for certainty about their futures betrays the promises they were made." McAnea warned the government not to "overlook the care workers, nursing assistants and school support staff from overseas" as without them "care services would collapse."

Rachel Reeves to target illegal working

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce measures in her Budget to combat illegal working. A new team of investigators will target businesses such as car washes, nail bars and takeaways that hire people without the right to work. A spokesman said the aim would be to "ensure that law-abiding businesses are not undercut by those ignoring the rules, making the system fairer for all."
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TECHNOLOGY

Labour pledges £100m to buy British AI

The government plans to invest £100m in emerging chip technology to support the AI sector. The initiative will guarantee payments to British start-ups producing AI hardware for key sectors including life sciences and financial services. Science Secretary Liz Kendall stressed the importance of government leadership in AI development, saying: "We do not want to be reliant on other countries for the key areas." City AM notes that the announcement comes amidst increasingly stark warnings from employers over the impact of AI and rising labour costs. Recent surveys from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) show one in six employers expects to cut staff in the coming year as companies adopt AI.
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TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT

Co-op pledges 7,000 apprenticeships by 2030

Co-op has announced a commitment to create 7,000 apprenticeships by 2030, backed by a £70m investment through its Levy Share service. The initiative allows levy-paying employers to transfer unused apprenticeship funds to various organisations. Since its launch, the scheme has facilitated over 3,800 apprenticeships, primarily benefiting deprived communities and the care sector. Claire Costello, chief people and inclusion officer at Co-op, said: "We launched Co-op Levy Share to unlock unused levy funds and turn waste into opportunity."
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WORKFORCE

Welfare reform must keep young people from 'life on benefits'

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has told MPs on the work and pensions committee that the current welfare system is "too content to just leave people forever," and that without reform, the current surge in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs) could consign many people to a "long-term life on benefits" which "often prove[s] to be very sticky and difficult to get people off." Mr McFadden said: "If we can get young people into work, then the benefits of that stay with them for a lifetime. Conversely, if they are out of work and get used to benefits . . . then the cost of that also stays with them for a long time."

Reforms 'desperately needed' to reverse drop in apprenticeships

Analysis conducted by the TUC has found that the proportion of under-19s starting apprenticeships fell by 26% between 2017 and 2024, with a 15% decline for those aged 19-24. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said young people had been "badly let down by the last Tory government, which failed to invest in their futures," and that while the current government has begun to make changes, further reforms to apprenticeships are "desperately needed." Referencing the almost 1m young people not in education, employment or training, Nowak said the TUC believes "that real experience of decent, paid work is the best way to turn the tide on rising rates of worklessness. This investment will more than pay for itself."

Strike called over school's 'virtual teacher'

Teachers at Valley Leadership Academy in Bacup, Lancashire are to strike amid a dispute between the National Education Union (NEU) and the decision by the school, run by Star Academies, to employ a "virtual teacher" (VT) to teach top set maths to pupils in years 9 to 11. Under the scheme, pupils have since September been taught remotely by a teacher based in Devon, supported by an in-person staff member. Pupils interact with the teacher using touch screens and electronic pens. Local NEU branch secretary Ian Watkinson said pupils at the school "deserve to have the best educational experience: a teacher in the room who can help them to learn."

Construction industry faces modern slavery crisis

The construction industry in the UK is increasingly identified as a hotspot for modern slavery, with 492 calls to the Unseen helpline in 2024. Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, highlighted the sector's vulnerability. A recent report from the University of Oxford noted significant gaps in knowledge regarding modern slavery in construction, and urged better data collection and enforcement.
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ECONOMY

UK consumer confidence crumbles ahead of next week's budget

UK consumer confidence tumbled in November, according to the British Retail Consortium, with concerns about the contents of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' budget next week heightening anxieties. Net consumer expectations for the UK economy over the next three months fell to -44% from -35% in October, the lowest since April and also the biggest month-to-month fall since April, while net consumer expectations for personal finances over the next three months dropped to -16% from -11%. “Strong hints by government, earlier this month, of income tax rises heightened public concern about their own finances and the wider economy, though government has since rowed back", commented BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson. “The Chancellor needs a few rabbits from the Budget hat next week to bolster weak consumer and business confidence – both essential for economic growth".
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INTERNATIONAL

Meta to start closing Australian teen accounts ahead of social media ban

Meta has begun notifying young Australians to download their digital histories and delete their accounts from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads ahead of a new law banning accounts for users under 16. The Australian government mandated that platforms must exclude users younger than 16 starting December 10th. Meta informed thousands of young users via SMS and email, saying: “We will start notifying impacted teens today to give them the opportunity to save their contacts and memories.” With an estimated 350,000 Australians aged 13 to 15 on Instagram, the company is taking steps to comply with the law. Meta's vice president, Antigone Davis, emphasised the need for a more accurate age verification system, suggesting that app stores should collect age information during sign-up. Dany Elachi, founder of Heaps Up Alliance, supported the age restriction, observing: “children under the age of 16 are better off in the real world.”

Trump enthuses about training of US workers by skilled immigrants

President Donald Trump has doubled down on his support for skilled immigrants who can train US workers in high-tech industries. Speaking at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, he emphasised that allowing this is not at odds with his “Make America Great Again” agenda. Trump told an audience of business executives: “I love my conservative friends. I love MAGA. But this is MAGA . . . Those people are going to teach our people how to make computer chips, and in a short period of time, our people are going to be doing great. And those people can go home.” The MAGA movement has opposed expanding H-1B visas, and other programs designed to let skilled immigrants into the US.

China introduces cash vouchers for newly-weds

Authorities in Ningbo, an eastern Chinese city, are offering marriage consumption vouchers worth 1,000 yuan ($141) to couples who register their marriage between October 28th and December 31st. The vouchers, limited in quantity and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, can be used for wedding-related expenses such as photography, ceremonies, hotel stays, and retail purchases. The initiative is part of a broader effort across China to address declining marriage rates. Similar voucher schemes have been introduced in cities including Hangzhou and Pinghu. China saw a 20% drop in marriages last year, the steepest fall on record, driven largely by concerns over childcare and education costs.
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OTHER

DfE plans 'evidence-based' early years maths programme

The Department for Education has published a tender seeking a contractor to deliver an "evidence-based" maths programme in early years settings. The £5.4m contract is set to run from April 2026 to August 2029. The tender notice notes that early maths skills "are strongly linked to later academic achievement and workforce success, yet many children begin school without the expected level of development in maths," and that despite "its importance within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), maths remains one of the lowest-performing areas, partly due to limited training and confidence among educators."
 
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