Short film Goolar Ka Phool to compete for award at 10th ARFF Barcelona Film Fest

• Businesses will receive £3,000 for hiring eligible young people aged 18 to 24.
• The scheme targets more than one million young people who are not in employment, education or training.
• Ministers say the grant is part of a wider plan to reduce youth unemployment and encourage alternatives to university.

The UK government is offering businesses £3,000 to hire unemployed young people as it steps up efforts to tackle rising youth inactivity. The Youth Jobs Grant, announced by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, is aimed at encouraging employers to recruit people aged 18 to 24 who have been claiming Universal Credit for at least six months.

The scheme comes as Britain continues to grapple with a growing number of young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET). More than one million people now fall into that category, raising concerns about long-term skills shortages, lower productivity and weaker economic growth.