- Lord Simon Wolfson, chief executive of Next , has warned of a "crisis in youth unemployment".
- He attributed the problem to higher labour costs and slow economic growth, telling the BBC’s Big Boss Interview that applicants for Next shop vacancies have increased from 10 to 19 per job in two years.
- Official figures show that nearly one in six young people aged 16 to 24 were out of work in the first three months of 2026, marking the highest level since 2015.
- Wolfson said that last year's increase in national insurance rates and the national minimum wage have driven up labour costs, a trend he believes “has to be reversed”.
- He also criticised the Government’s Employment Rights Act, arguing it restricts “flexible part-time working”.
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