A major new initiative aimed at tackling youth unemployment has been launched in the Liverpool City Region, as Mayor Steve Rotheram joined the Work and Pensions Secretary to unveil a £45 million Youth Guarantee scheme.

The programme will provide targeted support to thousands of 18–21-year-olds, helping them into work, training, or education.

The Liverpool City Region is one of eight trailblazer areas across England selected to pilot the scheme, receiving £5 million to support young people most at risk of falling out of education or employment. The initiative is part of the government’s wider Plan for Change, designed to break down barriers to opportunity and reduce economic inactivity.