More families than ever are using Tax-Free Childcare to save on their childcare bills as the government funded almost £600 million in Tax-Free Childcare top up payments in 2025-26.
Latest figures show a record 868,095 families are benefitting from the scheme and saved thousands on their childcare last year , as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) encourages families to sign up to save ahead of the summer holidays.
Tax-Free Childcare is a government funded top-up scheme to be used to pay for approved childcare for children aged 11 or under, or up to 16 years old if the child has a disability. Working parents can save up to £2,000 annually per year per child or £4,000 if their child is disabled.
HMRC’S Chief Customer Officer Myrtle Lloyd said: “I’m so pleased these figures show more families than ever are using Tax-Free Childcare to save on their bills. £2,000 is not a small amount and it can make a real difference – especially with the childcare void of the summer holidays approaching. If you haven’t signed up yet, don’t miss out, go to GOV.UK to do it today.”
Once a Tax-Free Childcare account is open, for every £8 deposited by parents, the government tops it up by £2. Parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every 3 months to help pay their childcare costs.
The funds can be used to pay for any approved childcare – before or after-school clubs, a childminder or an activity club during the holidays. It can also be used to pay for any specialist equipment a childcare provider may need for a disabled child.
Families could be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare if:
they have a child or children aged 11 or under. They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11th birthday. If their child has a disability, they receive up to £4,000 a year until 1 September after their 16th birthday
the parent and their partner (if they have one) earn, or expect to earn, at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week, on average
each earn no more than £100,000 per annum
do not receive Universal Credit or childcare vouchers
Thousands of young people across Great Britain will benefit from access to expanded employment and wrap-around support services as the locations of almost 180 new Youth Hubs are confirmed
Thousands of young people across the country are set to receive employment, education or training support as almost 180 new Youth Hub locations are confirmed.
Areas including Inverclyde, St Albans and Cardiff will see new hubs open in local sports clubs, libraries and other venues at the heart of the community– bringing support out of the jobcentre to meet young people where they are.
Youth Hubs are central to the Government’s once-in-a-generation drive to tackle youth unemployment, backed by £2.5 billion investment.
Thousands of young people across Great Britain will benefit from access to expanded employment and wrap-around support services as the locations of almost 180 new Youth Hubs have been confirmed.
The rollout forms part of a national expansion of Youth Hubs to over 360 areas with the aim that a young person is no more than one hour away from a Youth Hub by public transport.
This will ensure that vital support, delivered in the community, is available to even more young people, making local support services accessible, no matter where they live.
From football clubs to colleges and libraries, the hubs bring together local mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities as well as careers guidance and work opportunities with links to local employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.
Confirmation of the next wave of Youth Hubs came shortly after Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden visited a youth point – the Dutch equivalent of Youth Hubs – during a fact-finding trip to the Netherlands, which has one of the world’s lowest NEET rates.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We want to make sure young people are getting real, personalised support, that’s not one size fits all. I’ve seen how it can change lives.
“Our Youth Hubs have over the past two years pioneered this approach – bringing job centre services together with mental health support, housing advice and more.
“I want to turbocharge this rollout so that every young person has this support within reach that can help them move into learning or earning.”
Yesterday the Work and Pensions Secretary visited the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub, located in the Feldy Community Centre, where he met young people who are currently receiving personalised guidance to allow them to move into employment and training. The Secretary of State heard from young people who have already been helped by the Hub, and how the range of support offered will be central to them moving forward.
Tanzeem Ahmed, Assistant Director of Employment and Training at Poplar HARCA, said: “We’re proud to launch the Tower Hamlets Youth Hub at the Feldy Centre in Poplar this June, supporting local young people to move into work, training or volunteering.
“This welcoming, community-based space brings together personalised support – from CV writing and job applications to accredited training and wellbeing advice – helping young people build confidence and skills.
“By working with partners like Jobcentre Plus, we’re removing barriers and creating clear, positive pathways into employment for local young people.”
Since opening in May 2026, The Tower Hamlets Youth Hub has established itself as an exemplary Youth Hub, working with local stakeholder and partners to ensure a joined-up approach, bringing together access to mental health, wellbeing, employment and skills support for local young people.
Over the next three years, the Government is expanding its network of Youth Hubs to over 360 local areas across Great Britain. This will connect every 16-to-24-year-old across the country and provide themreal opportunities in their local area, ensuring each person has access to high-quality, wide-ranging support to move towards learning or earning.
Our new Youth Hubs will meet young people where they are, in football stadiums and community venues across Britain, giving them access to housing support, mental health help and a clear pathway into work or training, exactly as Alan Milburn recommended.
Youth Hubs are a key part of the £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and come alongside changes to the Growth and Skills Levy which aim to refocus the skills system towards people at the start of their working life.
The government is also supporting businesses to hire young workers with a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for every 18- to 24-year-old hired who has been on Universal Credit for six months, while a £2,000 apprenticeship incentive is available for each new employee aged 16 to 24 taken on by a small business.
Ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn through the government’s Youth Guarantee and turning the tide on the nation’s high NEET rate is essential to driving the nation’s plan for growth.
The DWP will now work with local authorities and partner organisations to identify the best locations for the hubs.
Youth Hubs may open ahead of the roll out schedule detailed below subject to local readiness.
Hubs opened in Year One (since announcement in March 2026):
England
Wandsworth, Stockton-on-Tees, Bromley, Bracknell Forest, Guildford, Swindon, Crawley, Reigate and Banstead, Sefton, West Berkshire, Derby, Tower Hamlets, Thanet, Knowsley, Leicester.
Scotland
South Lanarkshire
Wales
Carmarthenshire (Llanelli), Rhondda Cynon Taf, Neath Port Talbot, Caerphilly.
Hubs scheduled to open in Year Two :
England:
Norwich, East Suffolk, Cannock Chase, Greenwich, Ashford, North Northamptonshire, East Staffordshire, Thurrock, North East Derbyshire, Rother, North Devon, Harlow, Maidstone, Lincoln, Bedford, Torridge, Chorley, Milton Keynes, Arun, North Warwickshire, Cheshire West and Chester, Dartford, Breckland, Gedling, East Riding of Yorkshire, High Peak, North Norfolk, South Holland, South Ribble, Somerset, North Somerset, Stevenage, Havering, Slough, Fylde, Melton, West Northamptonshire, Castle Point, Teignbridge, Stafford, Lancaster, South Derbyshire, Canterbury, South Kesteven, Lewes, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire East, Braintree, West Lancashire, Mid Devon, Colchester, North West Leicestershire, Redbridge, Hillingdon, Broxtowe, Bexley, Dacorum, Wychavon, Camden, Malvern Hills, South Staffordshire, Reading, Watford, North Yorkshire, Sutton, Southwark, Dorset, Rugby, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Tewkesbury, Merton, Kensington and Chelsea, Forest of Dean, Broxbourne.
Scotland
Angus, Inverclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, Highland, East Lothian, Argyll and Bute, Perth and Kinross, Moray
Wales
Vale of Glamorgan, Flintshire, Cardiff, Powys, Monmouthshire, Gwynedd
Hubs Schedules for Year Three:
England
Lichfield, New Forest, Hinckley and Bosworth, Rushmoor, West Suffolk, Hertsmere, Central Bedfordshire, Staffordshire Moorlands, North Kesteven, Cheltenham, Adur, Rochford, Wiltshire, South Norfolk, Chelmsford, Eastleigh, Huntingdonshire, Test Valley, Bromsgrove, Tonbridge and Malling, North Hertfordshire, Wealden, Welwyn Hatfield, Tunbridge Wells, Cherwell, East Devon, Mid Suffolk, Oadby and Wigston, Fareham, Broadland, Sevenoaks, York, Maldon, Exeter, Derbyshire Dales, Charnwood, Blaby, Vale of White Horse, Stroud, West Devon, Babergh, South Gloucestershire, Harrow, Bath and North East Somerset, East Cambridgeshire, Stratford-upon-Avon, West Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Epsom and Ewell, South Hams, Epping Forest, Chichester, Warwick, Runnymede, Tandridge, Winchester, Brentwood, Harborough, Three Rivers, East Hampshire, St Albans, Cotswold, Horsham, Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, Rushcliffe, East Hertfordshire, Mid Sussex, Ribble Valley, South Oxfordshire, Wokingham, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond upon Thames, Uttlesford, Hart, Rutland, Waverley, City of London.
Scotland
Stirling, City of Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Shetland Islands, Orkney Islands, Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
The UK and Japan are expected to agree investment creating tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion in economic gains, alongside a new partnership at the forefront of next-generation technologies
UK and Japan unlock significant inward investments totalling more than £9 billion in infrastructure and financial services and up to £9 billion in offshore wind.
New technology partnership will accelerate cooperation on cutting-edge tech including AI, semiconductors, and quantum computing.
Visit drives forward partnership with UK’s closest security partner in Asia, marking a step change in the UK–Japan relationship.
The UK and Japan are expected to agree investment creating tens of thousands of new jobs and more than £18 billion in economic gains, alongside a new partnership at the forefront of next-generation technologies.
Together the deals will back British industries across technology, clean energy, infrastructure development, and life sciences, supporting long-term growth across the country. These are sectors at the heart of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and building on a relationship with Japan already worth £140 billion.
The Prime Minister welcomed his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi to Downing Street yesterday [Sunday] ahead of the G7 in Évian-les-Bains.
Japanese and British business leaders will join the two prime ministers for a roundtable discussion on future opportunities for economic growth where over ten commercial and government agreements are expected to be signed.
The visit delivers a major vote of confidence in the UK economy, with Japanese investors setting out a five-year investment pipeline worth more than £9 billion, expected to build new towns and provide high-quality office space and innovation hubs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “These landmark agreements will bring multibillion pound investment into the UK, creating tens of thousands of new jobs and driving new developments.
“As G7 economies and close security partners, we are working together with Japan on some of the most innovative technology in the world, harnessing the best of British and Japanese research and industry to deliver growth and security to every corner of the United Kingdom.”
At the heart of the visit will be a landmark Offshore Wind Compact, developed in close partnership with Great British Energy to unlock up to £9 billion in Japanese investment into the UK’s offshore wind sector.
It will support the development of 5.9GW of floating offshore wind projects in the UK, including the Ossian and Green Volt projects off the East Coast in Scotland alongside the Erebus project in the Celtic Sea.
These pioneering projects will support jobs across the country, and when built, generate enough clean electricity to power 8 million homes.
By boosting homegrown clean energy, the deal will help reduce reliance on volatile global fossil fuel markets, strengthen energy security, help get bills down for good, and makes the UK Japan’s leading clean energy partner in Europe.
Hitachi Energy UK is set to create at least 500 new jobs over the next five years, providing vital expansion of the UK grid and bringing clean power that delivers growth. This includes 100 highly skilled roles at Hitachi Energy’s newly opened Glasgow Centre of Excellence, and over £18 million investment in a purpose-built facility in Stafford.
Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce will deepen collaboration with Japan’s Atomic Energy Agency signing a new agreement with the UK National Nuclear Laboratory to develop next generation nuclear technologies. And our national laboratories (UKAEA and QST) and leading private companies will deepen their collaboration on fusion energy.
Communities like Hatfield are set to benefit from the package of deals, where Japanese life science firm, Eisai, is set to invest £48 million. The investment will create a new packaging facility for its innovative dementia treatment, backed by government funding.
The leaders are also expected to agree a new partnership to accelerate cooperation on the technologies of the future. The cutting-edge UK-Japan Frontier Tech Partnership (FTP), will see British research translated into scalable technology with Japanese investment, from AI and quantum, to civil nuclear and defence tech.
Building on momentum from London Tech Week, the FTP will deliver groundbreaking impact for the UK and Japan. This includes British firm ORCA Computing landing a landmark export deal – one of the first times a major corporation anywhere in the world has bought a quantum computer.
For the first time, a formal partnership between the UK Semiconductor Centre and Rapidus, Japan’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, creates a direct pathway for the UK semiconductor sector to manufacture cutting-edge chips used to power mobile phones, vehicles and modern devices.
During the meeting, the Prime Ministers are expected to confirm their shared commitment to the Global Combat Air Programme, and discuss the launch of the next phase of the international programme, including through the international contract that will be signed by the end of the month.
A new Defence Capability and Industrial Council will foster greater industrial cooperation between the UK and Japan, accelerating the development of each other’s dual-use technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, helping UK defence firms access significant Japanese investment.
Children in every part of the country to get access to enriching activities to beat isolation online and build connections in the real world
New benchmarks to give every school and college the tools to offer high-quality enrichment across arts, sport, nature, civic life and life skills
£132.5 million ‘Every Child Can’ programme will fund activities within school and in communities at weekends and in the holidays, ensuring enrichment is a common entitlement for all — not just those who can afford to pay
Every child, regardless of where they grow up or which school they attend, will benefit from enriching activities that build the skills, confidence and relationships they need for life and work thanks to government action announced today.
Greater access to opportunities in sport, creative activities, nature and the arts will be made available to children both in and out of school in order to halve the participation gap and reclaim childhood for all young people.
The drive to make sure all children are supported to develop new skills and explore their talents includes new benchmarks for schools and colleges published today. These will ensure schools and colleges have the practical tools and guidance to offer a wide range of opportunities across five categories: civic engagement; arts and culture; nature, outdoor and adventure; life and future skills including STEM, sport and physical activities.
Leading figures within these categories will soon be announced as ambassadors using their influence and expertise to inspire participation, raise awareness and help drive support for enriching opportunities for young people.
Activities could include music groups, engineering clubs, debating societies, football clubs and much more. These clear benchmarks will work in partnership with civil society and help schools and colleges develop inclusive, engaging enrichment offers that reflect the needs of their pupils and communities.
Ofsted will consider a school’s enrichment offer as part of how it assesses personal development, and parents will be able to see their local school’s offer through new ‘school profiles’ – a one stop shop with key information on a school’s offering.
This complements the government’s wider reforms to bring the national curriculum into the modern day, break down barriers to opportunity and better prepare young people for life and work in today’s world and beyond.
‘Every Child Can’, funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, will deliver £132.5 million for new activities programmes delivered through schools, community programmes, weekend activities and holiday provision.
It is structured around the same five categories as the Enrichment Framework, ensuring a consistent approach to building skills and confidence wherever young people engage and removing the postcode lottery that has held children in underserved parts of the country back.
It responds directly to the State of the Nation survey of more than 14,000 young people, which found that despite being the most digitally connected generation, young people today face some of the highest levels of isolation globally.
They want safe spaces, trusted adults, better mental health support and greater access to enriching activities. However, access to these opportunities remains unequal, with too many children locked out because of where they live and what school or college they go to.
Education Secretary Bridget Philipson said: “Every child should be able to enjoy sport and the creative arts, not just the lucky few.
“Whether it’s performing on stage, playing sport, exploring nature or getting involved in their community, these experiences build confidence, spark ambition and help young people discover what they are capable of.
“As the world around our children continues to move fast, investment is about making sure the childhood experiences we truly value can once again be for every young person, wherever they live.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Every child deserves the chance to find their spark through great art, sport, music, dance or drama, because arts and culture belong to all of us – not just a privileged few. A child who loves the arts shouldn’t have to be born into the right postcode to pursue it.
“That is why we are rebuilding opportunity in the classroom and in communities and ensuring every young person has something to do, somewhere to go, and someone who cares through our National Youth Strategy: Youth Matters.
“For too long we have underinvested in generation with appalling consequences. Every child should have the chance to live a richer, larger life and we will ensure they do.”
This package forms part of the UK government’s commitment to restore lost childhood freedoms – investing in playgrounds, in music hubs, sports partnerships, youth services and youth spaces and support for families through measures including VAT relief on children’s activities this summer.
With children growing up in an increasingly fast-changing world the package is designed to protect and nurture childhood, ensuring young people are equipped with skills and confidence to achieve and thrive.
Participating in enrichment activities has been associated with higher attainment and a stronger sense of school belonging and wellbeing among children and young people.
According to EPI research, children who attended sport clubs during secondary school were more likely to be in education or employment as young adults, while those who participated in hobbies, arts and music clubs were significantly more likely to progress to higher education.
Today’s announcement builds on the UK government’s work to ensure young people have access to enriching and cultural activities including:
More than £500 million for an ambitious 10-year National Youth Strategy – co-designed with young people – to connect half a million more young people with a trusted adult outside their home and equip them with skills to boost their resilience and stay safe online.
Over £1 billion of investment in school sport over the next three years, including the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sporting expertise into every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity and ensure more young people have access to high-quality PE and sport. Alongside this, an additional £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities in communities across the country
Inviting 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to take part in the £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme, to support them to meet the benchmarks set out in the Enrichment Framework, helping them build a strong offer shaped by their own pupils.
Revitalising the curriculum to ensure young people are given the chance to experience the arts, while maintaining a strong academic core, removing school performance measures that constrain subject choice, and making sure GCSEs in arts subjects are fit for purpose.
The government is working with The National Lottery Community Fund to develop Every Child Can. Further details on the remaining funding, how each programme will work and how to apply to take part will be published in due course.
The Department for Education will work closely with schools, colleges and sector partners, including the Enrichment for All Coalition, to support implementation of the framework and understand its impact on children and young people.
This will help build a shared approach to ensuring high-quality enrichment opportunities can support attendance, engagement, wellbeing and achievement for all pupils.
Tracy Gilbert, Member of Parliament for Edinburgh North and Leith, has called on the Israeli government to let aid flow freely into Gaza after travelling to Jordan this week with an International Development Committee delegation to meet senior representatives of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and discuss the urgent need to expand humanitarian access into Gaza.
During the visit, Gilbert received briefings on the humanitarian situation and the barriers to aid delivery. UNRWA officials warned that restrictions on aid deliveries are contributing to severe shortages of food, clean water, medical supplies and shelter.
The delegation visited the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO), which operates a warehouse storing humanitarian aid from a range of organisations, including the UK Government and Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). There, Gilbert saw large quantities of food, baby formula and medical supplies, including prosthetics, ready for delivery to Gaza, but was told that much of the aid remains unable to reach those in need.
The delegation visit came on the same week that the UK Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon. Yvette Cooper MP, told the House of Commons that less than half of the aid promised in the 20-Point Peace Place is entering Gaza.
In the House of Commons, she said: “There are families without shelter and a public health crisis, with rodent infestations and communicable disease, and we are currently at barely half the level of the 4,200 trucks a week promised in the 20-point plan.”
Tracy Gilbert MP said:“Gaza is facing catastrophic conditions, and the international community has a responsibility to ensure that relief reaches those who need it most. Sadly, after briefings on the ground in Jordan this week it only served to reinforce my concerns about the lack of access and progress made since the peace plan had been agreed.
“The aid is there; however, it is not being made available. I have seen hundreds of boxes of baby formula and medication sitting in warehouses while people, just a few miles away, are in desperate need. No prosthetics have entered Gaza in the past year, despite thousands of people in need, with supplies ready to go.
“Among the supplies stored in the warehouses was aid funded directly by the UK Government, as well as assistance provided by UK charities through the generous donations of people across Edinburgh and the wider UK.”
Although a ceasefire agreement came into effect in October 2025, humanitarian organisations continue to warn that severe restrictions on aid and medical supplies mean many Palestinians in Gaza remain unable to access the support they urgently need.
Ms Gilbert added: “Eight months on from the Gaza Peace Plan there has been little improvement for people struggling to survive in Gaza. I am calling on the Israeli government to end the delays and allow the vital aid sitting on its borders to flow freely into Gaza.”
The Foreign Secretary’s Statement to the House of Commons on Tuesday 9th June can be found here:
Pension savers will be better protected from scams under new plans announced yesterday (Tuesday 9 June 2026), as the Government acts to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraudsters who rob people of their lifetime savings
New safeguard proposed to tackle pension fraud.
Targeted safeguard to end misuse of Small Self-Administered Schemes with average losses rising to £38,400 per person.
Part of wider government programme to crack down on pension fraud to ensure more can save with confidence.
Pension scams are among one of the most damaging forms of financial fraud. Fraudsters trick savers into transferring their pension pots into bogus schemes, often leaving victims with no way to recover their losses.
The new proposals would mean that where there is no clear link between a saver and the SSAS scheme they are transferring into, a new warning flag would be triggered, enabling the transfer to be stopped.
The consultation also seeks views on cutting red tape that has been slowing down legitimate transfers, making the process simpler for savers who are not at risk of pension fraud.
Torsten Bell MP, Minister for Pensions, said: “Pension scams can rip away not just people’s savings, but the retirement they are looking forward to. This Government is determined to stay one step ahead of criminals who seek to exploit savers.
“Too often we see fraudsters trying to trick workers into transferring their savings into bogus pensions. We are stepping in to automatically block transfers where the warning signs are flashing red.”
The consultation is the first step in a wider government programme to tackle pension fraud working with government departments and industry stakeholders, including the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG). Further measures, including potential new legislation, are being developed this year.
Gaucho Rasmussen, Executive Director of Enforcement & Executive General Counsel at The Pensions Regulator (TPR), on behalf of the Pension Scams Action Group (PSAG), said: Fraud wrecks lives – and tackling it demands strong, coordinated action.
“Through the Pension Scams Action Group, which TPR leads, we are working closely with the DWP, law enforcement, the pensions industry and other partners to identify emerging threats and stop fraudsters in their tracks.
“The targeted safeguard proposed is an important step forward in protecting savers. We urge trustees and administrators to have their say.”
Britain will become the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view naked pictures on their devices
Under the new plans, Big Tech companies like Apple and Google must activate built-in features or implement technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children, the Prime Minister announced in a speech at London Tech Week yesterday (Monday 8 June).
This will prevent predators from being able to exploit and abuse victims through their devices, as well as stopping children from being able to access pornography. Adults will still be able to take, share or view nude content through an age verification process.
Now is the time for tech companies to step up and work with government to solve this horrific issue. If companies do not act within 3 months, the government will bring forward legislation to force them to activate the technology. This will include fines for companies. Nothing is off the table, and as a last resort we are exploring criminal liability for tech bosses who fail to comply.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “When it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option. Nobody gets a free pass. That is why I’m making sure Britain is the first country in the world to make it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images.
“And I expect tech firms to make that happen. This is not an impossible challenge – these are some of the most innovative companies in the world. But if they choose not to, then we will act and change the law.”
The changes will apply to UK devices, including both existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets. Legislation could cover operating system providers and others in the supply chain, such as retailers, and will not affect the use of devices owned and used by adults who verify their age.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “As a society, we have not kept pace with the changing threats that children face. Abuse online is far too common, and we will not tolerate it.
“Tech companies have a moral duty to act, by making it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images. If they don’t, we will legislate.”
These measures build on progress already made in the UK. Since the publication of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, Apple has already taken significant steps to combat this harm and shown the art of the possible, launching world-first features in the UK.
Apple recently introduced age checks for iPhone users, making it the first company to activate safety features by default for those who are not verified as over 18. This is a significant step forward following the government’s commitments to work with industry, and one this announcement builds on.
Despite this, the nudity detection is not applied to the camera or broader apps, third-party messaging services, or search functions, meaning children can still take, view, share and save nude images. The government therefore wants Apple and Google to block nudity across the whole device by default, so they can only be deactivated via age assurance.
Alongside the changes announced today, the consultation on children’s use of social media has now closed, with more than 100,000 responses received from parents, young people and experts. The government will publish its response soon and will continue working with international partners to tackle this shared global challenge to drive better protections for children online.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “No parent should have to worry that giving their child a smartphone opens the door to abuse and exploitation.
“We are holding social media platforms to account and will soon announce our next steps to keep children safe online. But this doesn’t stop with platforms; the devices themselves are part of the problem – and they can be part of the solution.
“Companies should switch these protections on by default, for every child, on every device. We are giving them 3 months to show us that they will do the right thing.”
91% of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 contained self-generated content from children themselves and the average child now views pornography by age 13. The effects of this can have long lasting impacts on young people’s lives and contributes to abuse in younger relationships, with 39% of teenagers aged 13–17 experiencing emotional or physical abuse from a partner.
Child sexual abuse material and pornography are also increasing misogyny and the normalisation of harmful sexual behaviour. 52% of all child sexual abuse and exploitation cases involve children aged 10–17 offending against other children.
Chief Executive Officer of Internet Watch Foundation, Kerry Smith, said: “On-device protections are a pivotal part of coordinated, multi-layered approach to safeguarding children online.
“An alarming amount of child sexual abuse material, which our analysts see every day, is self-generated by children as a result of grooming, coercion or manipulation. We need device-level detection and blocking alongside platform-level protections.
“That is why we warmly welcome the government’s announcement and see these protections as playing a powerful role in a whole-system response to the threats children face in digital spaces.
“With nudity blocking in place, it will make it much harder to create new images and videos of child sexual abuse and better protect children from harms on the internet.”
Measures to protect children already exist within smartphones and tablets, but are applied inconsistently, often switched off by default and only blurring content rather than blocking it. But the government is working closely with technology companies – some of whom, like Apple, have already taken steps to implement protective features – to make this goal a reality.
Companies must introduce these measures without threatening privacy or collecting any data. The device should simply block harmful content across all apps and services. Over-18s will still be able to view adult content by providing proof of age.
British safety tech firm SafeToNet has shown this change is already achievable, with software that blocks nude content and prevents images being taken if the camera detects a child.
Richard Pursey, Chairman of SafeTo Net, said: “The government is right to act. Children have been failed for too long. This news will be welcomed by parents across the UK and hopefully, will inspire other countries to follow the UK’s lead.
“We can put an end to so much online misery with this approach. SafeToNet’s HarmBlock technology is a proven example that it is possible to make the device safe by default and not as some optional add-on.
“We have proven that with HarmBlock, on-device, tamperproof, embedded safeguards can prevent children from seeing, filming and broadcasting explicit content. It works in real-time including livestream and crucially also protects the privacy rights of the child as no data enters or leaves the application.
“Let’s be blunt: manufacturers have built devices capable of facilitating illegal, explicit, image-based harm to children. That’s the reality. But with this world-leading announcement we are finally shifting the battle ground of a child’s online safety to the device.”
The Online Safety Act was a landmark step forward in holding companies to account, but the government is clear that more must be done. Big Tech has the money and capability to put a stop to this. Online harms must be confronted with the same urgency as offline abuse.
This announcement makes clear that, in the modern world, the technology industry is central to this mission. Protecting children from sexual abuse should not be optional – it is a moral duty.
Roxy Longworth, author and founder of Behind Our Screens, said: “I told myself, back in 2021, that if I went public with what happened to me and it stopped one life from being ruined, then it was worth it, but the more I campaigned the angrier I became.
“Every child needs to be protected from platforms who for far too long have been allowed to turn a blind eye to the damage being done to them. This announcement makes me hopeful that there won’t be kids sat in their room feeling the same pressure and shame that consumed my teenage years.”
Sara Kirkpatrick CEO of Welsh Women’s Aid, said: “We are delighted to see proposals which require tech companies to design in safety rather than leaving the responsibility solely on parents and young people to ‘keep themselves safe’.
“We would call on the government to ensure that expectation, and regulation is coupled with monitoring and effective sanctions for non compliance.”
Chief Executive of the NSPCC, Chris Sherwood, said: “Online grooming, sexual exploitation and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material could be prevented if tech companies did the right thing and introduced nudity blocking technology on children’s phones.
“Every day these protections are not in place, more children will continue to face devastating harm in the online world. That’s why we strongly support the government’s decision to make it mandatory for these companies to block inappropriate material at device level. This marks a major step forward in our fight against online child sexual abuse.
“Time is up for Big Tech. Now government must focus on holding them to account to ensure this transformational change for young people’s safety is quickly delivered.”
Dr Elly Hanson, Strategy Director for CEASE, said: “Device level tech to prevent all children seeing, sending or receiving explicit imagery will be a total game changer in the battle against online child abuse and the harms of pornography.
“We wholeheartedly support the government’s demand on tech companies to roll this out, and see legislation that mandates it as the critical and necessary next step.
“For far too long, many thousands of people have sexually abused and extorted children online because tech companies have let them – giving them all the access and tools they need.
“In tandem pornography has further fuelled abuse and violated young people’s right to author a sexuality rooted in respect and connection. This tech will tackle both problems, bringing us a major step closer in ending this appalling profit-driven experiment on our children.”
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “One child seeing porn is one too many – but my research shows more than a quarter (27%) of young people who had seen porn said they had seen it online by 11.
“Tech firms have the power to turn it off but have dragged their feet. I fully support requiring devices to have Highly Effective Age Assurance and content-screening technology in place.
“This will create an additional layer of protection for children against the harmful content that we know is causing them harm. There are no silver bullets to making the online world safe, that’s why I also want to see platforms and services banned from accessing under 18s until they can prove they are safe. But device level protections are one thing that will meaningfully limit children’s access to harmful content.”
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “Far too many children are exposed to harmful sexual content online or are pressured into sharing sexual images.
“Barnardo’s research found that a quarter of all young people have seen a nude photo which was originally sent privately and then shared further – while around one in seven 13- to 15-year-old girls have been asked to share a nude photo of themselves. The impact of this can last a lifetime.
“This is a strong step from the government towards keeping children safe and we look forward to seeing how these proposals will work in practice. Good intentions are not enough, however, so they need to be backed up by strong regulation and enforcement – as well as keeping pace with how quickly online harms evolve.
“It is absolutely vital that the focus also remains on protecting children, not criminalising them. Any system must make sure that children who share images are supported, not shamed, and that strong reporting and safeguarding mechanisms are in place.
“Online or offline, child safety must come first. Technology companies need to build it in from the start.”
Lawrence Jordan, Marie Collins Foundation CEO, said: “At the Marie Collins Foundation, we see first-hand the devastating and lasting impact that online grooming, sexual extortion and image-based abuse can have on children, young people and their families.
“For many victims and survivors, the harm does not end when the abuse itself ends – whether through the fear that images may continue to circulate, or the lasting impact abuse can have on mental health, relationships and a person’s sense of safety and trust.
“We strongly welcome the government’s focus on device-level protections. For too long, much of our response to online harm has come after abuse has already occurred.
“Technology companies have repeatedly shown they can solve complex challenges when they choose to prioritise them. Protecting children should be one of those priorities. Companies now have an opportunity – and a moral responsibility – to ensure the digital environments children use every day are safe for them to participate in.”
David Wright CBE, CEO of SWGfL and UK Safer Internet Centre Director, said: “This is an important and ambitious step in recognising the scale of harm children face online, particularly as sexual abuse and exploitation are increasingly linked to self-generated imagery.
“We have seen positive progress from parts of the technology sector in recent years, but more must be done to ensure a consistent and high standard of protection for all children across devices and services. Raising the baseline of safety across the digital ecosystem is essential.
“As these proposals develop, it will be important to ensure they are effective in practice, proportionate, and implemented in ways that maintain trust, particularly in relation to privacy and the needs of victims.
“At SWGfL, we look forward to continuing to work with government and industry to ensure protections are victim-focused and genuinely reduce harm.”
Dr Alexandra Bailey, Head of Psychology at child protection charity Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Associate Professor at the University of Roehampton, says: “Our work with both adults and young people tells us how damaging exposure to sexual content online can be at a young age, and therefore we welcome the government’s announcement [today] on stronger online protections for children.
“We see firsthand how sending and receiving nudes, and early exposure to pornography, can cause real harm in young people’s lives, leaving them vulnerable to grooming, exploitation or viewing illegal, harmful content themselves. Through our anonymous Shore live chat service, we support young people navigating these issues every day.
“In our work with adults whose pornography use has become problematic and escalated into harmful or illegal behaviour, many tell us this developed over time and often began with exposure at a young age.
“What begins as curiosity can shift over time. People can become desensitised to mainstream content and seek out more extreme material, sometimes crossing into illegal territory without fully realising the consequences. This is one of the most common pathways to online child sexual abuse we see on our anonymous Stop It Now helpline.
“If you’re concerned about what you or someone else has seen or done online, contact Shore or Stop It Now for anonymous and confidential support.”
Soma Sara, CEO of Everyone’s Invited, said: “At Everyone’s Invited, we welcome this announcement. Over the past 5 years, through our education programmes in schools across the UK, we have witnessed a significant increase in the sharing and creation of child sexual abuse material online, alongside rapidly evolving technologies that are amplifying harm.
“For too long, the responsibility has fallen disproportionately on children and young people to protect themselves from the non-consensual sharing of images and other forms of online abuse. The burden must now shift to the platforms and services that enable and profit from digital engagement.
“With the continued rise in child sexual abuse material, the time to act is now. We urge technology companies, platform providers, and those who work with them to treat this announcement as a foundation rather than a finish line and to proactively go further in strengthening safeguards for children.
“The emergence of AI-enabled harms and increasing access to violent pornography are accelerating risks and normalising harmful behaviours. Addressing these challenges requires sustained action, stronger accountability, and a clear commitment from all of us to put children’s safety first.”
Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments: “Despite it being a criminal offence to create or share explicit images of a child, the reality is that sharing nude images is still prevalent among children and young people, with many feeling coerced into doing so.
“Under no circumstances should coercive control and pressure be applied to a child to share intimate images of themselves and we welcome any measures that will make the taking and sharing of such images more difficult.
“This form of abuse is just as real, and just as damaging to the wellbeing of children and young people as other forms of violence against women and children – it is high time that technology companies are held to account and do more to ensure that the most vulnerable of their users are safe.”
Sara Kirkpatrick, CEO of Welsh Women’s Aid, said: “We are delighted to see proposals which require tech companies to design in safety rather than leaving the responsibility solely on parents and young people to ‘keep themselves safe’.
“We would call on the government to ensure that expectation, and regulation is coupled with monitoring and effective sanctions for non compliance.”
The Timms Review into Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is expanding its engagement to hear from more disabled people, following the closure of the Call for Evidence on 28 May
New resources launched to help organisations run workshops and events with disabled people and those with long term health conditions
The workshops cover three key themes: what PIP is for, what it is like to apply, and how decisions are made.
All materials are available on GOV.UK. and organisations can submit insights from their Workshop in a Box until 17 July.
Launched last autumn, the Timms Review is being co-produced with disabled people and aims to make sure the benefit is fit and fair for the future and better reflects the impact of people’s conditions in the modern world.
New resources are now being made available to support organisations and communities across the country to run workshops, bringing together disabled people to share their experiences and views. These sessions will focus on key aspects of the system, including what PIP is for, people’s experience of applying, and how decisions are made.
Their responses will shape the Review, with its launch following the closure of the Call for Evidence last month which received 38,000 responses.
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said: Hearing from disabled people across the UK is vitally important to inform the Review.
£That is why we are co-producing this review with disabled people every step of the way — to make sure that PIP is truly fair and fit for the future.
“I encourage any organisation that is able to host a workshop to do so, because we need to hear the views and lived experience of as many disabled people as possible.”
The resources include downloadable, ready-to-use engagement materials to help organisations across the UK engage with the review, run their own sessions with the people they advocate for, the public, or other stakeholders.
While the workshops are designed primarily for disabled people and those with long-term conditions, organisations are encouraged to adapt the materials for carers, advisors, and others with relevant knowledge and experience of PIP.
Co-chair Sharon Brennan said: “It is vital to the success of the review that we hear from as many people as possible about their thoughts on PIP, especially those whose voices are less heard such as those from marginalised communities or who are do not feel comfortable engaging with government-led consultations.
“We hope this new engagement method allows people to have conversations that matter with the organisations that they most trust so their lived experiences can shape the outcomes of our Review.
It is open to anyone who would like to host a session, including Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs), disability and health charities, community groups, and elected representatives.
Organisations can sign up for information sessions on how to conduct a workshop in a box taking place on 10 and 16 June and access the materials via the Timms Review webpage on gov.uk. Those taking part will need to submit their insights by 17 July to directly inform the steering group’s recommendations.
The newly released resources which make up the ‘Workshop in a Box’ are one of six evidence and engagement strands within the Review’s programme. The others are analysing existing data and research; carrying out new quantitative survey research; hearing evidence from experts; and running deliberative events.
We have approached a small number of organisations to offer financial support to deliver accessible workshops with local groups and communities in their networks. These organisations have been identified for their ability to reach individuals and groups who are less likely to engage with government research or public consultations, including those from marginalised or underrepresented communities.
An interim report will be published in the coming months, providing a fuller update on the steering group’s work to date.
Defence plan delays undermine UK credibility with allies and industry
The Westminster government’s delay in publishing the Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has undermined the UK government’s credibility with its allies, and its ability to provide a stronger deterrent to its adversaries.
In a report into the Ministry of Defence’s 2024-25 accounts, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that the long delay to the DIP risks squandering the opportunities provided by advances in technology, hindering the government’s attempts to modernise the Armed Forces.
It has been three years since the Ministry of Defence (MoD) published its Equipment Plan for 2023-2033, in which the PAC then found no credible plan to deliver the military capabilities government wanted.
Since then, the PAC expressed extreme disappointment last year at the continued lack of a plan setting out how the government would invest the funding increases set out by the high-level ambitions in the Strategic Defence Review.
The delay to the DIP, the PAC’s report finds, has been due to the lack of a decision from the MoD as to which capabilities, infrastructure and people it requires to transform the Armed Forces to be warfighting-ready within the available budget. It is also due to its failure to secure the cross-government agreement the DIP needs.
The PAC’s report lays out the impacts of the delay to the DIP, which include:
An inability to provide a stronger deterrent to the UK’s adversaries
A need now for the UK to recover credibility with its allies
An inability to equip the UK’s Armed Forces for the modern battlefield
Undermined credibility for the MoD with the defence sector
Additional cost pressures on the defence budget
An adverse impact on industry, particularly for smaller companies.
Time is money in procurement, and the PAC notes suppliers are now increasing their prices to take account of the international situation’s continued deterioration. The MoD must demonstrate the flexible use of the DIP to take account of the changing international context in decision-making on expenditure and capabilities.
With the delay also risking having weakened the UK’s defence industrial base, the PAC is seeking action from the MoD to mitigate impacts of this delay on suppliers.
The PAC’s report further finds that the MoD is placing unrealistic expectations on how soldiers can safely operate the Ajax armoured vehicle. Ajax has unresolved noise and vibration issues, with 33 soldiers reporting symptoms after operating them.
Five soldiers were still under medical review when the MoD appeared before the PAC in March 2026, at which time the MoD claimed Ajax is safe when operated and maintained correctly within its design parameters.
The MoD now expects soldiers to do maintenance checks every time they stop the Ajax vehicle. This seems unreasonable, given soldiers may need to use vehicles for long periods in combat, and the PAC is calling on the MoD to explain how the current required operating parameters and restrictions for Ajax are realistic and appropriate.
With an Ajax 2 package of upgrades now in development at an unknown cost, the PAC awaits to see, more in hope than expectation, whether these endeavours will succeed. The MoD must now set out precisely how much it will pay for Ajax, and why it still expects that it can be made fit for purpose.
Turning to the MoD’s ever-increasing nuclear expenditure, which made up 18% (£10.9bn) of the defence budget in 2024-25 (expected to rise to up to 25% in coming years), the PAC understands that a proper mechanism will now be set up to address a state of affairs under which public information about nuclear programmes is too sensitive for Parliament to properly scrutinise them.
This enhanced Parliamentary scrutiny, long called for by the PAC, must not be delayed by current political uncertainty, and the MoD must now set out how and when it will routinely provide Parliament with more detailed cost and performance information for the nuclear enterprise.
The MoD’s accounts further show a completely unacceptable failure to maintain accounting records to support £6bn+ of assets. The accounts do not provide a true and fair representation of the MoD’s financial position, due to a misclassification of historic expenditure by the Atomic Weapons Establishment as spending that had resulted in it developing infrastructure.
The report recommends MoD set out how it will prevent this happening again.
The PAC has long scrutinised the issue of recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, and the latest public statistics for the year to October 2025 point to a corner being turned, with the number of people now joining up exceeding those leaving.
The MoD does not, however, know whether these improvements are as a result of its own efforts or if it can sustain them, and the PAC’s report makes recommendations targeted at helping it do so.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said: “Much commentary has been expended recently on the months-long delay to the DIP. However, from this Committee’s point of view, the nation has now in fact gone years without a credible plan for UK military capability.
“Those responsible may argue there are good reasons for the DIP’s continuing absence, but our report makes clear that excuses to the effect of ‘taking the time to get the details right’ simply do not cut it.
“Whatever the content of the DIP when it eventually does appear, the damage from its absence has been done – to the nation’s credibility, to its safety, to its Armed Forces, and to certainty within its entire defence industrial base.
“Any government minister attempting to explain away this delay to the DIP should instead ask themselves what message the bureaucratic drift of the past months has given to the public, as well as the UK’s allies and its adversaries, and simply apologise.
“Whatever else the government hopes to achieve with the DIP, it has certainly gained the unwelcome honour of being the most anticipated document in my entire political career. As we still await its publication at time of writing, I know I speak for the defence interests of the whole UK when I say – this had better be good.
“Our Committee sadly must also add a chapter to the troubled history of the Ajax programme with this report. Our thoughts are with all those soldiers who reported symptoms from noise and vibration after operating these vehicles, and we were frankly astounded to hear officials explain that proper use of Ajax requires maintenance checks every time it is stopped.
“This is frankly an insult to intelligence, and much good may this advice do our fighting men and women if called upon to operate Ajax in combat. The MoD must now explain how it will make Ajax fit for purpose, and how much this will cost.
“Finally, given the ratchet effect of ever-increasing while opaque nuclear spending, about which both my and predecessor Committees have long warned, and in the context of a completely unacceptable £6bn accounting muddle around the Atomic Weapons Establishment, a new sensitive scrutiny mechanism is to be welcomed.
“Political uncertainty must not derail these arrangements, in order that the public may gain greater confidence that their money is being spent wisely.”
Entry-level jobs support, AI bootcamps and tech training as government ‘supports young people into the jobs of the future’
More support to get young people into their first jobs through launch of new partnership to reshape entry-level jobs in sectors exposed to AI
400,000 young people across the most disadvantaged schools in the UK will get AI and tech training to help them into further education, training and employment after school
New AI bootcamps scheme to be rolled out nationwide in England starting with a pilot in the North West this summer
Young people entering the job market will be better supported into their first roles thanks to a new partnership between government, industry and trade unions to look at how AI is impacting entry level roles.
The Early Careers Jobs Alliance will bring together government, employers, trade unions and young people, co-chaired by Prospect’s General Secretary Mike Clancy and the government’s AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies sector, Katie Gallagher OBE. With the aim of supporting people to get into the workplace, learn on the job and build enriching careers.
Backed by £20 million, it will map how entry-level work is changing, producing practical help for businesses on how to redesign roles while maintaining entry-level pathways, and identifying early examples of good practice.
This will start in the Digital and Technologies sector, due to its high exposure and uptake of AI in digital and tech businesses, with plans for this to then roll out across all 8 Industrial Strategy sectors.
The alliance will publish an initial report this autumn, setting out early evidence and examples of best practice to inform future work.
Announced by the Technology Secretary Liz Kendall today, the plans are part of government efforts to break down barriers for young people, ensure growth and opportunity are felt all across the country, and that everyone can seize the opportunities of technology and AI.
Through TechFirst, the government’s nationwide tech skills programme, at least 400,000 students from some of the most disadvantaged schools will be supported to take up AI and tech skills in efforts to ensure opportunities are provided to those who need them the most.
They’ll take part in TechFirst’s skills sessions, school competitions and extra-curricular activities, and industry engagement events – to upskill and inspire them towards a future in tech and AI.
The package unveiled ahead of London Tech Week also includes plans to roll out an AI bootcamp scheme across England to provide young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training, a pathway to work.
This will kick off this summer with a pilot covering 5 local areas in Lancashire and Greater Manchester which will see young people at risk of leaving school after their GCSEs and entering unemployment, take part in a free AI skills bootcamp.
It will provide them with workplace and entry-level AI training before guaranteeing those who complete the bootcamp a fully paid AI apprenticeship – which will be facilitated by local employers like JD Sports, BAE Systems, PA Consulting, Agilisys, and Wigan, Blackpool, Oldham, Blackburn and Lancashire councils.
If successful, the learnings from the pilot will support the rollout of a nationwide AI bootcamp programme across England in the 2027 to 2028 academic year.
Alongside this, a separate pilot will launch in early 2027 around the North East’s AI Growth Zone.
Focused on young people who are already out of work and training, the programme will provide at least 6 months of work where participants will get hands-on job training in AI with leading tech juggernauts including Accenture, Microsoft and Sage. Delivered through government’s Jobs Guarantee, this will secure high-quality jobs in the North East AI Growth Zone and beyond.
These initiatives aim to turn the tide on declining opportunities for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country. They will help drive forward the government’s plans to ensure nobody is left behind as more businesses adopt AI and provide young people with the invaluable skills they need in modern Britain as we seize the opportunities of AI across the economy.
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall said: My priority is building an AI future that is pro-business and pro-worker, where AI enhances work, and people are supported through the jobs transition – not left to cope on their own.
“It’s clear the world of work is changing rapidly with the adoption of new technologies, and young people want a future where they can get on, get skilled, and get good jobs.
“I’m determined to give young people the jobs and skills they need to thrive in an era of technological change, and am taking action now to create a future that truly works for all.”
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said: “Young people deserve every opportunity to build a meaningful career, and that means making sure no one is left behind as our economy changes and technology advances.
“For too long, too many young people have faced a future with too few opportunities, which is why through our Youth Guarantee we are ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.
“By equipping these young people with tech and AI skills, we are making sure that the opportunities created by this technological revolution are open to everyone.”
This package will be laid out in the Technology Secretary’s speech at the world’s first AI Adoption Summit tomorrow (Monday 8 June), where leaders from across the economy, will come together to put the country to work harnessing AI’s vast potential.
This comes alongside an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people – which will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain. As well as government also launching a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn to investigate the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.
Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy said: “We have a short window of opportunity to shape the AI revolution so that it enhances and supports jobs, rather than destroying and undermining them, and it is right that government are bringing employers and unions together to think through these issues.
“Some of the most exposed roles in the economy are held by young workers, and it is vital that we do not cut off pathways to career progression and learning in the relentless search for efficiency.
“We have a duty to the next generation of workers to get this right, and we look forward to contributing to this important piece of work.”
Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital and AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies Sector said: “As AI reshapes entry-level work, we have a chance to lead by example and create better pathways for young people.
“That is why I want to establish an industry-led Early Careers Jobs Alliance to shape a positive future for entry-level roles in the Digital and Technologies sector.”
Matt Prebble, Head of Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said: “Too many young people across the UK are not currently in education or employment, often facing multiple barriers to getting into the labour market.
“At the same time, businesses need people with the skills to work in an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy. In the North East, we’re working with partners across the technology ecosystem on an initiative that brings together digital and AI skills with practical, real-world experience, helping more young people access opportunities and develop the work-ready skills needed for today and the future.”
Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK and Ireland said: “I believe programmes like this are crucial to ensuring the AI economy creates more opportunities for more young people, in every corner of the country.
“By combining practical experience with AI skills training, we can develop real pathways into high-quality careers, build a stronger talent pipeline, and drive greater social mobility for young people in the North East.
“We’re proud to support that effort alongside Accenture and Sage, and excited about the long-term impact this kind of collaboration can have.”
Steve Hare, CEO at Sage, said: “AI is creating some of the most exciting career opportunities in a generation and we need to ensure that young people from every background can access them.
“Through the AI Growth Zone, Sage is working with industry partners and government to open the door to skilled AI careers for young people in the North East who don’t yet have a clear route into employment. This is how we turn the promise of AI into real, inclusive economic growth, starting in Sage’s home region.”
Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “It’s time to turn the tables. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, at risk of falling out of the system at 16, should be placed on a pedestal and not be seen as a problem.
“AI and new technologies are a leveller. These are young people with native digital and AI literacy who can be superheroes in the workplace, a workplace with an acute need for AI skills, with AI Native Youth.
“We have created a clear and direct pathway for this: a route, with support and visibility, that simply doesn’t exist for many young people, which is why we have so many who are NEET. I am on a mission to bring a systemic solution to this challenge, working in partnership with DSIT and our regional partners.
“This is a moment in time where a challenge becomes a huge opportunity.”
