Let’s get young people into jobs as we make it easier for old to access pensions
This week’s jobless figures, although not surprising, are nevertheless harrowing and a wake-up call for our somewhat precarious economy. Most worrying is the harrowing figures for the age range 18-24, people who are not only just starting on their own careers but are indeed the country’s future out of Covid-19.
The worry is that the figure among this age group is only going to get worse, with school leavers and graduations round the corner. Perhaps a system should be put in place for businesses that are getting assistance from the government, be it from Westminster or Holyrood, to employ workers in this age group – along the lines of the apprentice schemes or job creation or work experience schemes – to ease the unemployment figures, but most of all to get those young people into the employment market. It would benefit not only the employee, but the country as we recover from the Covid-19 crisis.
Another sector highlighted as being badly affected in the jobless figures are the over60s, who are being forced into an early retirement. Their prospect of gaining future employment will be very scarce. Many in this sector have worked and contributed to society all their lives, effectively allowing the government to put financial packages in place for the good of the country.
So it would be rather terrible for many in this sector to be effectively signing on, applying for benefits for the first time in their working lives...so what could the government do for them? The governments at Holyrood and Westminster have both shown the speed at which legislation can be processed in an emergency and for many over-60s, this is indeed a personal emergency. A review of the pension age in light of Covid-19 may be one road we need to explore; a speedier process of gaining the state pension would cut the rather tedious and expensive process to all parties of applying for benefits. Going back to the 18-24 year old group, I do feel they are the ones who should be getting any jobs that become available and if the over-60s have their state pension, a means to live on, they may want to consider contributing to this new caring society we hope to establish by volunteering. It could become a win-win for all groups on what will be a long road to recovery. CATRIONA C CLARK
Hawthorn Drive Banknock, Falkirk