UK retailers seek to create 100,000 jobs for young unemployed over next 3 years

LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - British retailers said on Tuesday that they would seek to create 100,000 jobs for young people not in employment or education by the time of next national election due in 2029, as part of a government drive to stem a rise in youth employment.

The British Retail Consortium trade body and the Department for Work and Pensions said they were also launching a new voluntary work placement programme for young people aged 18-24 that would help them get experience for permanent retail jobs.

"Too many young people are trapped in a vicious cycle where they need experience to get a job and need a job to get experience – leaving them stuck while the world of work drifts further out of reach," Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in a statement announcing the programmes.

• Britain has just under 1 million young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), and earlier in the year the number was its highest since 2013

• Work placements of 2-4 weeks will be offered to young people aged 18-24 who are receiving unemployment benefits

• Retailers offering the work placements include Aldi, Amazon, Asda, JD Sports, John Lewis Partnership, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Primark, and Tesco

• Around 11,000 work placements will be available initially

• Some employer organisations have previously blamed increases in Britain's minimum wage and higher employer social security contributions for rising youth unemployment

• Retailers and their suppliers account for nearly a quarter of youth employment in Britain

(Reporting by David Milliken, editing by Andy Bruce)