- Over 80 leading UK high street retailers, including Tesco and John Lewis, have warned the government that current tax policies and "red tape" are making it too expensive to hire young workers.
- Coordinated by the British Retail Consortium, the retailers' letter to the Prime Minister urges a re-evaluation of national insurance, national living wage changes, and employment rights.
- This intervention follows official figures showing that 1.01 million young people aged 16 to 24 were "Neets" (not in employment, education, or training) between January and March, the highest since 2013.
- Retail bosses, including those from Amazon and M&S, stated that government policy decisions have negatively impacted their hiring of young people and called for stronger support for youth employment.
- The government responded by highlighting its £2.5 billion youth employment support package, including £3,000 payments for the long-term unemployed and reduced hiring costs for under-21s.
IN FULL
