As reported by the BBC, chancellor Rachel Reeves has committed £725m in the Budget to expand youth apprenticeships, with new short courses due to start next spring

The government says the funding will help create 50,000 apprenticeship places over the next three years as part of efforts to reduce youth unemployment.

Apprenticeship starts among young people have dropped by almost 40% over the past decade, and nearly one million 16 to 24-year-olds are currently out of work or education.

A £140m pilot will give mayors greater scope to link young people with local employers, though details of how the funding will operate are still to be confirmed.

The expansion will also scrap the 5% apprentice levy contribution for under-25s and introduce new routes in areas such as AI, hospitality and engineering.