An open letter to Boris: “Kick start the economy by investing in jobs and people”

• 4 min read

Issued by Communities that Work Opens in new window

We joined 206 organisations across the UK, in signing an open letter to the Prime Minister, from Communities that Work calling on the Government to publicly commit to a new Opportunity Guarantee. Several leading organisations have joined forces to shape the Opportunity Guarantee, including the Housing and Employment Taskforce, chaired by Communities that Work, together with representatives from the employment, skills and youth sectors.

The UK is experiencing the biggest economic crisis in 300 years, and on Tuesday 16th June latest figures are expected to show the highest rate of unemployment in over 100 years.

The new Opportunity Guarantee scheme, backed by some of the UK’s biggest employers, would help to kick start the UK’s economic recovery by investing in jobs of the future, helping people access the jobs market, and providing opportunities for young people.

The open letter, published in the Sunday Times on 14 June 2020, is signed by cross industry partners – including housing and employment sector bodies on the Housing and Employment Taskforce, Communities that Work member housing associations, The Prince’s Trust, Heathrow Airport, Asda, universities and charities. It has political backing from Metro Mayors Steve Rotheram (Liverpool City Region), Dan Jarvis (Sheffield City Region) and Jamie Driscoll (North of Tyne Combined Authority).

Together, over 200 voices called on Government to invest in a new Opportunity Guarantee that:

  • Promotes job creation by investing in the jobs that we need for the future

 

  • Doubles the capacity in services that help people into jobs, with greatest support for those facing disadvantage
  • Provides an education place, apprenticeship, or job for every young person

 

Commenting on the open letter, Lord Bob Kerslake, a member of the Housing and Employment Taskforce, said: “The message to Government is clear – with the Jobs retention Scheme winding up, we must invest in an Opportunities Guarantee. We need to create opportunities for people to skill up, and have a guaranteed role in our economic recovery, and we must put these plans in place now.”