Tag: Press Release

PRESS RELEASE : Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future cannot be held hostage by divisive politics – UK statement at the UN Security Council [May 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The United Kingdom thanks High Representative Christian Schmidt for his dedicated service supporting peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for his contribution to implementing the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The Peace Implementation Council will now take forward the selection and appointment of a successor.

We reiterate our support for a fully empowered High Representative as the cornerstone of civilian implementation of Dayton.

We remain deeply concerned by the political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

As the report sets out, some political actors continue to subvert democratic processes.

They are obstructing legislative activity and abusing constitutional safeguards, stalling progress on Euro-Atlantic integration and the 5+2 agenda, including state property.

Recent elections in Republika Srpska were marked by significant electoral fraud.

With democracy and rule of law under attack, international support remains vital.

We reiterate the importance of constitutional reform that reflects the needs of all citizens and implements European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence.

In this election year, we underline the importance of strengthening democratic resilience.

We support the rollout of election technology as a practical step to reduce fraud and rebuild public confidence in elections.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s future cannot be held hostage by divisive politics.

Various players are stoking ethnic and religious tensions as a way of advancing their pernicious agendas and stirring up more tension between all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s communities.

Divisive rhetoric, including calls for secession or a third entity, is anti-Dayton and risks peace and stability.

We call on all parties to reject all narratives which deepen divisions and misrepresent the country’s challenges.

President, Dayton obliges all parties to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Full respect for Dayton remains essential.

The report and ongoing political challenges underline why the High Representative, including the use of executive powers where necessary, remains vital.

The Security Council endorsed Dayton under Chapter VII, including the High Representative, who is appointed by the Peace Implementation Council.

While the United Kingdom supports progress on the 5+2 agenda, those conditions have not yet been met.

Until they are, the role of the High Representative remains essential to safeguarding Dayton and ensuring peace and stability.

We call once again on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s politicians to respect Dayton and the constitutional order, focus on practical reforms in the interests of all citizens, and for the international community to support these efforts.

May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK Statement on Solomon Islands [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

UK Statement at Solomon Islands’ Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom commends Solomon Islands’ progress in implementing recommendations from its last review, including efforts to combat violence against women and girls through the Family Protection Act and the National Policy to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls (2021 – 2027).

We also welcome steps Solomon Islands has taken to raise awareness of CEDAW at provincial and community levels, and the increased integration of gender perspectives in the context of disaster risk management planning.

We recommend that Solomon Islands builds on this positive progress by:
1. Amending the Marriage Act 1945 to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years.
2. Adopting the revised Forestry Bill 2004 and Mineral Resources Bill 2025 to safeguard the land rights of local communities against mining and logging.
3. Establishing a National Human Rights Institution in line with the Paris Principles, including by seeking technical assistance.
Thank you.
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK Statement on Latvia [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

UK Statement at Latvia’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you Vice President,

The UK recognises the challenging security environment in which Latvia operates, including sustained Russian hostility, cyber and hybrid threats, and disinformation campaigns aimed at undermining democratic institutions and social cohesion.

We welcome Latvia’s ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, and the introduction of civil partnerships. We also recognise Latvia’s strong support for accountability in Ukraine.

We recommend Latvia:
1. Fully implements the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, including through adequately resourced survivor support services and effective monitoring mechanisms, by 2028.
2. Removes remaining legal and policy barriers to equal treatment of LGBT+ people, including by extending equal family and inheritance rights and ensuring protection from discrimination.
3. Strengthens inclusive public communication and social cohesion measures, including through accessible public service broadcasting, to ensure effective engagement with all linguistic communities.
Thank you.
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Political Peerages [May 2026]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 12 May 2026.

The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned:

Peers nominated by the Leader of the Labour Party
1. Stephen Benn, The Viscount Stansgate
2. Christopher John Suenson-Taylor, The Lord Grantchester
Crossbench Peers
1. Charles Wellesley, The Duke of Wellington OBE DL
2. Nicholas le Poer Trench, The Earl of Clancarty
3. Charles Colville, The Viscount Colville of Culross
4. Richard Denison, The Lord Londesborough
5. Simon Russell, The Lord Russell of Liverpool
6. Daniel Mosley, The Lord Ravensdale
7. Godfrey Bewicke-Copley, The Lord Cromwell
8. Richard Gilbey, The Lord Vaux of Harrowden
9. John Pakington, The Lord Hampton
Peers nominated by the Leader of the Conservative Party
1. Sebastian Grigg, The Lord Altrincham
2. Mark Cubitt, The Lord Ashcombe
3. William Stonor, The Lord Camoys
4. Jonathan Berry, The Viscount Camrose
5. Patrick Courtown, The Earl of Courtown
6. Rupert Ponsonby, The Lord de Mauley KCVO TD FCA
7. Edward Effingham, The Earl of Effingham
8. Giles Goschen, The Viscount Goschen
9. Jasset Ormsby-Gore, The Lord Harlech
10. The Rt Hon Frederick Penn, The Earl Howe GBE PC
11. Timothy Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, The Earl of Minto
12. Colin Moynihan, The Lord Moynihan
13. Aeneas Mackay, The Lord Reay
14. Massey Lopes, The Lord Roborough
15. The Rt Hon Thomas Galbraith, The Lord Strathclyde CH PC
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : 52nd Universal Periodic Review of human rights – UK Statement on Seychelles [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

UK Statement at Seychelle’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you Madam Vice President,

The United Kingdom welcomes the free and fair elections held in Seychelles in October 2025. But we have concerns around prolonged pre‑trial detention and expanded security powers despite otherwise strong democratic institutions.

The UK welcomes the activities of the Seychelles National Human Rights Commission since the last UPR, including its annual reports in 2024 and 2025. We continue to urge the government to ensure that the Commission is adequately financed and resourced.

We also commend the government for its continued constructive engagement with UN treaty bodies, including the review by the Committee on Migrant Workers in 2024.

We recommend that Seychelles:
1. Conducts an independent investigation on the 5 December 2024 prison riots, with demonstrable steps taken to hold perpetrators to account.
2. Publishes a clear legal and policy framework governing the protection of refugees and migrants, including procedures for identification, access to basic services, and safeguards against arbitrary detention, and reports publicly on steps taken to bring national practice into line with international human rights standards.
3. Establishes a transparent and time‑bound mechanism for monitoring, responding to and implementing recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission, including public reporting on progress and outcomes.
Thank you.
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : UK statement to the Swiss OSCE Chairpersonship Conference “Anticipating Technologies – for a safe and humane future” [May 2026]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 May 2026.

Sarah Spencer, UK Tech Envoy, underlined the opportunities and risks of frontier technologies, stressing responsible governance, partnerships and dialogue through the OSCE. She reaffirmed the UK’s support for Ukraine, condemned Russia’s illegal invasion, and highlighted the OSCE’s role in ensuring technological progress strengthens security, stability and a more humane future.

Thank you Chair and thank you to all the panellists for their insightful remarks.

I would like to thank Federal Councillor Cassis and the Swiss Chairpersonship for convening us today, and for framing today’s discussions around responsibility and cooperation. In the context of rapidly evolving technologies, strengthening dialogue, reducing misunderstandings and developing common approaches are indispensable to building trust and securing the foundations for security.

We must however acknowledge the fact that Russia continues its illegal invasion of Ukrainian sovereign territory and Russian troops continue to occupy Ukrainian land. The United Kingdom is committed to a sustainable peace in Ukraine and will continue to stand resolutely with Ukraine and its people.

Chair, frontier technologies afford multiple opportunities to deliver inclusive development outcomes and improve our impact in addressing humanitarian crises. These technologies are also transforming the security environment at unprecedented pace, increasing risks to national security, conflict escalation, and strategic stability. The development and deployment of artificial intelligence illustrates this tension between opportunity and risk particularly clearly. While AI has the potential to support early warning and early action in humanitarian crises, it can also amplify misinformation and widen instability if misused or deployed without adequate safeguards.

Capitalising on the opportunities of frontier tech therefore requires innovative partnerships and practical mechanisms, aligned with our shared principles, to safely and responsibly govern frontier technologies and build inclusive, responsible and sustainable digital ecosystems. For the United Kingdom, partnerships between states, institutions, industry and civil society matter more than products in realising the opportunities of technology and innovation. In two weeks, our Foreign Secretary will co-host a major conference in London on the future of international development partnerships – bringing together governments, civil society, and tech leaders, amongst others, to help shape the system for a new era. This includes identifying ways to leverage advanced technologies to accelerate progress on shared global challenges.

No one sovereign State can rise to this challenge alone. As the world’s largest regional security organisation, the OSCE has a unique role to play fostering dialogue on frontier technologies, supporting anticipatory approaches, and promoting the responsible use of innovation in the service of peace and security. The United Kingdom stands ready to support these efforts, and to work with all participating States to help ensure that technological progress contributes to a safer, more secure and more humane future for all.

Thank you.

May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government and Wayve sign partnership to accelerate Britain’s self driving future [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 12 May 2026.

Partnership will put the UK at the forefront of next generation self-driving technology.
- New agreement strengthens UK leadership in automated vehicles.
- Partnership focuses on shared research to bring forward responsible deployment of self‑driving cars.
- Deal backs innovative UK scale‑ups and helps make Britain the best place to grow a business.
A partnership that will put the UK at the forefront of next generation self-driving technology has been signed by the Government today with one of the country’s leading scale ups.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wayve, a company pioneering AI for autonomous driving will deepen collaboration on next‑generation self‑driving technologies and back the scale‑up as it continues to grow in Britain.

The agreement brings government and industry together around shared research interests, supporting responsible deployment of automated vehicles while reinforcing the UK’s global leadership in autonomous and AI‑enabled mobility.

By linking cutting‑edge AI research with real‑world deployment and manufacturing, the partnership aims to act as a catalyst for new investment, skilled jobs and long‑term growth across the UK automotive ecosystem, sending a clear signal that the UK is the best place for ambitious tech companies to scale up.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“This partnership with Wayve shows how government is backing high‑growth British scale‑ups through our Modern Industrial Strategy to turn world‑leading research into real‑world deployment.

“By working hand‑in‑hand with innovative companies, we are accelerating self‑driving technology while anchoring jobs, investment and manufacturing here in the UK — making Britain the best place to start, scale and grow a business.”

Alex Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO, Wayve said:

“I’m delighted to deepen our collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade. We share the Government’s ambition to drive economic growth through the development of the self-driving vehicle sector in the UK and globally.

“Strengthening domestic capabilities will anchor high-value manufacturing in the UK, create thousands of skilled jobs across the supply chain, and support the future of the automotive industry. This is in addition to the transformative benefits to road safety to be gained from self-driving vehicles deployed at scale.

“Wayve has a proud history of developing our technology in the UK. We look forward to working with DBT on a shared set of priorities to ensure the UK continues to lead and that the full set of benefits is realised across the country.”

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

“Wayve is a true British AI success story, putting the UK at the forefront of self-driving technology.

“This agreement will help secure high-skilled tech and advanced manufacturing jobs in this country.

“By working with companies such as Wayve we are rebuilding Britain for the modern age and sending a clear signal that the UK is the best place for ambitious tech firms to start up and scale up.”

The MoU sets out how DBT and Wayve will collaborate on research that helps move automated vehicles from prototype to large‑scale, commercially viable services operating on UK roads.

This includes work on safety assurance, simulation at scale and integration of full self‑driving technology into production‑ready vehicle platforms, helping the UK lead internationally on responsible deployment.

The partnership also reinforces the UK’s ambition to be a global hub for automated vehicle manufacturing, strengthening domestic supply chains in areas such as AI, systems integration and advanced automotive hardware.

Wayve will share insights from real‑world trials with government and regulators, supporting learning that can unlock national roll-out of self-driving services and inform future regulations and standards.

Through closer collaboration with industry and local partners, the agreement supports the revival and evolution of UK automotive manufacturing while demonstrating the government’s commitment to helping fast‑growing British companies scale at home rather than overseas.

Through its Modern Industrial Strategy, the UK Government has already set the stage to crowd in vital private investment into key growth sectors like advanced manufacturing, building on over £360 billion and 120,000 jobs we have secured since publication. 
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Innovative walking, wheeling and cycling projects win share of £1 million [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 12 May 2026.

The 12 winning projects will provide more people with healthier and sustainable active travel options across England.
- shared cycle schemes, gamified walking campaigns and accessible wheeling apps among 12 winning projects
- grants of up to £100,000 awarded to small businesses and community organisations
- investment supports government plans to back entrepreneurship and boost the economy
Communities across England will benefit from a diverse range of innovative walking, wheeling and cycling projects, after Active Travel England (ATE) awarded grants through its £1 million Innovation Fund.

The 12 successful projects, ranging from e-cargo bike share schemes and community behaviour change programmes, to ‘gamified’ walking campaigns and accessible wheeling apps, will each receive grants of up to £100,000, following a competitive bid process.

The Active Travel Innovation Fund was launched in October last year to enable small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) and non‑governmental organisations (NGOs) to develop new ideas or expand successful initiatives that are already making a difference.

Funded projects will provide more people with healthier and sustainable active travel options, especially those from under-represented groups, supporting the government’s missions to improve public health, create safer streets and cut carbon emissions.

Active Travel Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said:

These projects are about testing fresh ideas in the real world and finding out what works. By backing smaller, innovative organisations across the country, we are tapping into more imaginations, reaching people in the heart of the community and building a strong evidence base that will further improve everyday journeys for people who walk, wheel and cycle now and in the future.

The lessons we learn will help councils, businesses and communities invest in approaches that are inclusive, practical and deliver tangible benefits. It’s about making it easier for more people to choose active travel for everyday trips, whatever their age, ability or background.

Local Transport Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said:

We’re backing bold, community‑led ideas that get more people walking, wheeling and cycling.

These projects show how innovation and entrepreneurship can deliver healthier journeys, safer streets and real benefits for communities across the country.

On top of this, the government is investing £626 million for local authorities up to 2030 to deliver vital walking and cycling schemes, which is enough for 500 miles of new walking and cycling routes and 170,000 more active trips per day. This will also help boost local businesses, grow local economies and ease pressure on the NHS.

The winning projects include Walk Ride Greater Manchester, which will support the set‑up, coordination and scaling of walking and bike buses, helping hundreds of primary school children travel to school in a fun and active way.

Go Jauntly is an award‑winning UK walking app that will use the funding to run a gamified city‑versus‑city campaign to increase walking and wheeling among women and families in Birmingham and Liverpool.

PedalUK will set up, deliver and evaluate a 5‑cycle ‘Our Bike’ community‑led e‑cargo bike‑sharing pilot in Brighton and Hove.

Other funded projects include Mobility Mapper, a Bristol‑based intervention that will develop a digital mapping platform, accessed via an app, aimed at enabling wheelers to travel more safely and confidently.

General Manager at PedalUK/OurBike, Emma Hughes, said:

This funding enables OurBike to launch and test our London e-cargo bike share scheme outside the capital in Brighton and Hove. Building on research from the University of Brighton and working with Brighton and Hove City Council and local partners, we are addressing the real barriers to e-cargo bike use by embedding bikes in communities and making everyday cycling more accessible and affordable for families and businesses carrying children, goods or equipment.

CEO at Go Jauntly, Hana Sutch, said:

At Go Jauntly, we believe walking and wheeling should feel accessible, safe and joyful for everyone, especially women and families who are often overlooked.

Thanks to Active Travel England funding, we are expanding our behaviour change programmes to meet people in their own neighbourhoods, making everyday movement fun, easier and more inclusive.

Director of Walk Ride Greater Manchester, Harry Gray, said:

We’re delighted to have received funding from Active Travel England’s Innovation Fund to deliver a Walking and Cycling Bus Pilot across Manchester and Trafford.

This funding enables us to provide a full-time project coordinator to grow and sustain walking and cycling buses at scale. Every child across Greater Manchester should have access to a safe, active travel route to school – walking and cycling buses are where that journey begins.

Founder of Mobility Mapper, Sonya Ridden, said:

Active Travel England innovation funding is essential in helping Mobility Mapper begin mapping the routes wheelers can actually use. By creating a wheelable network built from real journeys, we will help people plan ahead with confidence, avoid unsuitable routes, make everyday wheeling easier and safer, and make active travel more inclusive.
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government steps up action to strengthen cyber defences as UK cyber industry continues to grow [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2026.

UK businesses are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats.
- Businesses encouraged to sign Cyber Resilience Pledge to strengthen defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats
- New figures show UK cyber security sector revenue has risen 11% to £14.7 billion, with firms up 20% to 2,603
- Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to continue through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to strengthen Britain’s foundations and build a more resilient country
Businesses across the UK are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences, as the government takes action to protect the economy and essential services people rely on every day from fast-evolving cyber threats.

As part of a wider push to shore up the UK’s cyber defences, ministers are urging organisations across the economy to boost their resilience by signing up to a Cyber Resilience Pledge.

The pledge, launching later this year, sets out 3 concrete actions organisations can take to improve their cyber security:
- making cyber security a board-level responsibility
- signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s free Early Warning Service
- require Cyber Essentials certification across their supply chains – the UK government-backed cyber security standard that blocks the most common cyber threats.
Together, these steps help businesses reduce risk, protect customers and build confidence across the wider economy.

Ministers have written directly to some of the UK’s leading companies inviting them to sign up to the Cyber Resilience Pledge, and organisations are now encouraged to review the requirements and commit. The government is backing this shift with £90 million towards improving cyber resilience across the economy.

The push comes as the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will continue its passage through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to protect critical national infrastructure, support economic growth and reduce the risk of disruption to essential services such as energy, water, healthcare and data centres.

New figures published today also show the strength of the UK’s cyber security sector, which grew 11% last year to £14.7 billion, with the number of firms rising by 20% to 2,603 – underlining the UK’s position as a global cyber security leader and a fast‑growing engine of the economy.

The sector created 2,300 jobs in the past year alone, reflecting rising demand for British cyber expertise as businesses and public services invest in stronger protection against increasingly sophisticated threats, including those enabled by AI.

Ministers have warned that the threats businesses face in cyber space are changing, and the way they respond must change with it. A new generation of AI models is lowering the barrier for cyber criminals, enabling them to find vulnerabilities and carry out attacks at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago. Recent figures show 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, underlining the urgency of action.

The importance of taking action has been highlighted by recent research by the AI Security Institute, looking at frontier models like Mythos and GPT 5.5. Ministers are warning that traditional cyber protections alone are no longer enough. As AI accelerates the pace and scale of cyber attacks, organisations must now invest in smarter, more resilient systems that can limit the impact of breaches and keep ahead of attackers – rather than constantly reacting after the damage is done.

The UK is not standing still in response to this threat. We have built the AI Security Institute, the most advanced capability of any government in the world for understanding frontier AI systems. This ensures that your government can have an independently verified, robust assessment of current capabilities.

More broadly, the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, is world-leading in defending the UK online, and continues to publish practical guidance every business can use.

Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd said:

Cyber security is now fundamental to economic growth, job creation and the resilience of the services people rely on every day.

The UK has a world‑class cyber sector that is creating skilled jobs and protecting our economy – and government is doing more by investing in its own defences, legislating to require more of essential services and setting clear national standards.

As threats evolve, businesses of all sizes need to step up and take practical action now. The Cyber Resilience Pledge is a clear call for companies to strengthen their defences, protect their customers and play their part in keeping the UK secure and competitive.

CEOs are urged to harness the expertise and innovation of UK cyber startups, building partnerships that drive the development and adoption of advanced solutions, such as memory-safe systems that are significantly less vulnerable, to keep our economy ahead of adversaries.

Cyber security for AI is itself also an emerging growth area, with the number of UK firms offering cyber security products or services for AI up 68% in 2025 compared to the previous year – reinforcing the UK’s position as both a leader in innovation and a responder to new threats.
May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : PM vows to tear up “status quo” that failed young people on apprenticeships and skills [May 2026]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 May 2026.

The Prime Minister will meet with apprentices to underline the Government’s drive to overhaul the apprenticeship system, break down barriers to opportunity for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country.
- Apprenticeships put on an equal footing with university degrees as PM vows to “tear up the status quo” that held young people back
- Small businesses can take on young apprentices with training fully funded from August, reversing years of underinvestment that locked young people out of opportunity
- Part of the Prime Minister’s plan to build a stronger, fairer Britain by backing young people with real opportunities into work
The Prime Minister will meet with apprentices today [Tuesday 12 May] to underline the Government’s drive to overhaul the apprenticeship system, break down barriers to opportunity for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country.

Apprenticeships are being placed at the heart of a new approach to skills, giving young people more ways to build secure careers and offering employers the workforce they need to grow.

The Government is now making it even easier for young people to find and access opportunities in one place through JobHelp – bringing together online support on jobs, skills, apprenticeships and training. JobHelp is designed to help young people navigate the system more easily and find routes into work that fit around their needs.

The visit follows the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday, where he set out how the Government is not just fixing what went wrong, but changing how the country works and who it works for. Despite strong headline growth in recent years, too many communities and families have not felt the benefits, and too many young people were left without a clear route into secure, skilled jobs.

For decades, underinvestment in apprenticeships and technical education drove too many young people away from opportunity and left employers without the skills they need. This Government is determined to reverse that failure and place apprenticeships at the heart of a fairer economy.

Central to that mission is the Prime Minister’s ambition for more young people to take part in higher‑level learning – whether academic, technical or through apprenticeships – so that success is no longer defined by a single path, and talent and hard work are recognised in all their forms.

That ambition is now being delivered through a major, previously announced package of reforms to the apprenticeship and skills system. A £1 billion investment will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and high‑quality training over the next three years, helping tackle youth unemployment while boosting economic growth.

Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said:

“Too many young people have been locked out of good work and real opportunity. We are changing that and we are already making good on that promise.

“Through apprenticeships, training and the new JobHelp service, we are opening up clear, supported routes into work for young people in every part of the country.

“A stronger, fairer economy is one where every young person has a real chance to succeed, and this Government is delivering that.”

Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson said:

“For too long, young people have been let down by a system that offered too few routes into skilled, well-paid work. That is changing as more people learn the skills and get the hands-on experience that will help them build their careers.

“I believe talent exists everywhere, and opportunity should too. We are building a system that works for every young person, wherever they live and whatever path they choose.”

A cornerstone of the reforms is removing the financial barriers that have held back opportunity for years. The Government will be covering the full cost of apprenticeship training for eligible under‑25s at smaller businesses, by abolishing the 5% co‑investment rate. This change opens up thousands of new opportunities for young people and makes it easier for local employers to grow their workforce and invest in young talent.

The government is also offering businesses £3,000 for every young person aged 18–24 they hire who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for six months which is expected to support 60,000 young people into work over three years.

This comes alongside a £2,000 Apprenticeship Incentive for each new 16–24‑year‑old taken on by a smaller will help drive progress towards the Government’s ambition of creating 50,000 more apprenticeships for young people.

The Jobs Guarantee is also being expanded from 18–21 to 18–24, creating more than 35,000 additional subsidised jobs and taking the total number of opportunities supported through the scheme to over 90,000 in the next three years. 

In March, the government launched a major youth employment drive, backed by a further £1 billion investment in young people. This takes the total investment into the Youth Guarantee and the additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This will support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

The package also includes £140 million for new regional pilots, giving mayors the power to connect young people, including those not in education, employment or training – with apprenticeship opportunities at local employers. Working with regional leaders who understand their economies will ensure training meets real local skills needs. 

Employers and learners will benefit from a more flexible system, with new short training courses launched last month in areas such as AI, engineering and digital skills. The Government is also working closely with the defence sector to develop new work‑based training routes, helping build the critical skills needed for the future.

Alongside this, new waves of foundation apprenticeships are being rolled out in sectors including hospitality and retail, creating more entry‑level routes for young people to earn, learn and progress. Taken together, the reforms are simplifying and modernising the apprenticeship system, making it quicker, more flexible and more responsive to employers and learners.

Today’s visit underlines the Government’s commitment to breaking down barriers for young people, restoring pride in place and ensuring that growth and opportunity are felt all across the country.
May 11, 2026