‘Work is good for you’: how UK scheme could help tackle youth mental health crisis

Work can do wonders for a person’s mental health, according to Pat McFadden, the UK’s work and pensions secretary. In his latest push to tackle the youth mental health crisis, McFadden unveiled a jobs guarantee scheme that will provide six-month paid employment to young people. Speaking at Boots headquarters in Nottingham, McFadden met with the first group of beneficiaries, all aged 18 to 21, who have recently begun their jobs under the scheme.

Some of these young individuals had been out of work for years, and McFadden was struck by the profound impact their new roles have had on their confidence and overall wellbeing. McFadden emphasized that work is not only crucial for economic reasons but also plays a significant role in improving mental health. He argued that prolonged periods of unemployment and isolation can exacerbate mental health issues, making work an essential intervention to prevent a life of dependence on benefits.

At a roundtable discussion with the young workers, McFadden highlighted the positive changes they have experienced, including improved social lives and more structured daily routines. He stressed that work should be considered an integral part of the solution to the growing number of young people not in education, employment, or training (Neets).

The number of Neets in the UK has recently surpassed 1 million, with projections indicating that it could reach 1.25 million by 2030 without intervention. McFadden also addressed concerns about welfare reform, criticizing the current universal credit system for creating a "culture of 'signed off and written off,'" where claimants are left without support once deemed unfit for work.

He proposed changes to this system and highlighted a recent initiative in which claimants are encouraged to attend voluntary interviews with work coaches. McFadden praised Boots and Sainsbury’s for their efforts to tackle youth unemployment by offering internships and urged other employers to follow suit. He acknowledged that while it is a worthwhile investment to subsidize businesses for hiring young people, it should be accompanied by meaningful support and not just a financial incentive.

The jobs guarantee scheme is set to expand to cover 18- to 24-year-olds in Great Britain, with the goal of creating 90,000 subsidised placements over the next three years. Initially, the program will be piloted in six areas with high unemployment, including central and eastern Scotland, Birmingham and Solihull, and south-east and south-west Wales, with plans to make it nationwide by November.