Thanet Announced As Location For One of Government’s 80 New Youth Hubs
Thanet will get one of 80 new Youth Hubs across the country, it has been announced today.
Youth Hubs bring together Jobcentre Plus, local authority services, employers and training providers under one roof to support young people aged 16–24.
Each hub will give access to on-site jobcentre support alongside mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities, careers guidance and direct connections to employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.
The expansion is the government’s latest step towards bringing Youth Hubs to every area in Great Britain to establish address the almost one million young people not earning or learning – a rise of 248,000 between 2021 – 2024.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Today marks a major boost for young people with 80 new Youth Hubs and Scotland’s first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair driving opportunity.
“We are delivering support in every region, connecting young people with employers, and meeting them where they are so they can move into work, as we reform the welfare state into a working state.
“This is about breaking down barriers, opening doors and ensuring every young person can earn or learn, wherever they live.”
The hubs are part of a £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and changes to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritise young apprentices, creating 200,000 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
This includes a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for employers for every young person they hire aged 18-24 who has been on UC for six months, an expanded Jobs Guarantee for 18–24-year-olds, and new foundation apprenticeships in key sectors.
East Thanet MP Polly Billington said: “As Chair of the Labour group of MPs for coastal communities, tackling the persistent inequalities facing young people in seaside towns like ours is a top priority for me. Thanet continues to experience high youth unemployment and significant challenges around young people’s mental health.
“That’s why this new Youth Hub is so important for bringing vital employment and support services together under one roof, so we can help more young people access the help they need to move into decent, secure work.”
The youth unemployment rate – for those aged 18 to 24- in Thanet has risen once again to 12.1%.
The rate, which is for February, is a 0.1% rise on the figure in January and by far the highest in the south-east, with Hastings at 10.9% being the second highest. The Kent average is 6.4%.
The figure for Thanet now equates to 1060 people aged 18 to 24 who are not in employment.
The 12.1% youth unemployment rate represents a significant, recent high for Thanet. Pre-pandemic rates stood at around 7%. although this reached 17.4% in 2020 during the pandemic. Since 2025 the rate hovered at around 10% before the rise at the end of last year.
Thanet consistently faces the highest youth unemployment in the South East. The three month rate for 18-24-year-old youth unemployment nationally (November-January) stood at 14.5%, the highest level since 2015.