HTA joins over 80 retail CEOs in calling for urgent action on youth unemployment crisis

10 June 2026 

Fran Barnes, the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) Chief Executive, has joined with over 80 of Britain's biggest retail CEOs to tell the Prime Minister that government policies are making it harder to hire young people.  

In a letter co-ordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), business leaders warn that government must take urgent action to tackle the deepening unemployment crisis, including bringing down the cost of employing young people, in order to “turn around the fortunes of young people everywhere.” 

The intervention comes as Alan Milburn’s interim report into young people and work highlighted the scale of the challenge, warning that 1.25 million under-25s could become unemployed in the next five years. Meanwhile, businesses face a cataclysm of rising National Insurance contributions, years of above-inflation increases to the National Living Wage, and changes to employment rights – policies which need to be revisited if Government really wants to shift the dial on youth unemployment. 

Retail is the UK’s most important entry point into work, accounting for almost a quarter of all youth employment. Hundreds of thousands of young people secure their first job through the flexible, local, and seasonal opportunities that the industry provides. But with 400,000 retail jobs already lost over the past decade, vital routes into employment could be at risk if policy decisions continue to increase the costs and risks of hiring. 

Today, business leaders are calling on government to strengthen support for youth employment, bring down the cost of employing young people and ensure new employment and skills reforms do not undermine its own goals to combat the crisis. The industry stands ready to work alongside government to deliver practical solutions that will help more young people access employment and create pathways for the next generation. 

The letter calls on the government to: 

1. Establish a joint government-retail taskforce to simplify and enhance routes into employment for young people.
2. Bring down the cost of employing young people to help businesses create more jobs.
3. Implement employment and skills reforms in a way that supports entry-level recruitment and progression. 

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), said: 

“If you make it more expensive to employ people and continue heaping costs onto businesses, the natural conclusion is that fewer people will be employed. 

“We warned about this with increases in employers’ National Insurance with only a few months’ notice, alongside rises in the National Living Wage, changes to business taxation and more regulation, including EPR. 

“SMEs are the lifeblood of the economy and businesses are crying out for people who want a career in our sector, but that is not the same as being able to afford to employ them. 

“If SMEs are given the right environment and can operate with certainty and confidence then they can be a key part of the solution – as the engine room of jobs, skills and opportunity.”   

Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC, said:  

“The message from retail is clear: if government is serious about tackling youth unemployment, it cannot keep making it more expensive to create jobs. 

“Retail and its supply chain account for almost a quarter of all youth employment, making our industry uniquely placed to support young people through flexible, entry-level roles and clear routes for progression. But this first step on the ladder is cracking under the weight of government-imposed costs and regulations. 

“Youth unemployment is a challenge that government and business must tackle together. If government wants more young people in work, it must create the conditions that allow businesses to hire, train and develop the next generation. Retailers stand ready to work in partnership with government through a joint retail-government taskforce to strengthen routes into employment, remove barriers to hiring and help more young people take that crucial first step into the world of work.” 

Read the letter here. 

Signatories:  

Giles Hurley (Aldi), Peter Wood (AllSaints), John Boumphrey (Amazon UK), Maria Hollins (Ann Summers), James Goodman (Asda), Sue Kemp (Associated Independent Stores), Tjeerd Jegen (B&M Retail), Graham Bell (B&Q), James Barker (Barker and Stonehouse), Nick Collard (Bensons for Beds), Alasdair Murdoch (Burger King UK), Meryl Halls (Booksellers Association), Nigel Murray (Booths), Anthony Hemmerdinger (Boots UK), Charmaine Griffiths (British Heart Foundation), Helen Dickinson (British Retail Consortium), Darcy Willson-Rymer (Card Factory), Jon Lake (Chopstix Group), Chris Burns (Company Shop Group), Alex Baldock (Currys), David Robinson (Dobbies Garden Centres), Nicola Frampton (Domino’s Pizza UK), Ije Nwokorie (Dr Martens), Nigel Darwin (Dune Group), Clodagh Moriarty (Dunelm Group), Hetal Patel (Federation of Independent Retailers), Paul Hinds (F. Hinds), Mia Fenwick (Fenwick), Ed Duggan (Fishpools), Tom Athron (Fortnum & Mason), Noel Coyle (Fraser Hart), Anna Steer (Freemans Grattan Holdings), Roisin Currie (Greggs), Svante Andersson (Haypp Group), Doug Putman (HMV), Fran Barnes (Horticultural Trades Association), Tarsem Dhaliwal (Iceland Foods), Mostafa El Garaa (IKEA UK and Ireland), Regis Schultz (JD Sports), Jason Tarry (John Lewis Partnership), Mark Wright (JoJo Maman Bébé), Rob Swain (UK&I KFC), Thierry Garnier (Kingfisher), Guy Meakin (Krispy Kreme UK), Ian Williams (Lakeland), Ryan McDonnell (Lidl GB), Alison Hands (Lincolnshire Co-op), Sarah Ashby (Mamas & Papas), Mike Tomkins (MandM Direct), Stuart Machin (M&S), Henrik Nordvall (Matalan), Lauren Schultz (McDonald’s Restaurants), Nick Stowe (Monsoon Accessorize), Rami Baitiéh (Morrisons), Mark Neale (Mountain Warehouse), Anthony Short (Music Industries Association), Hannah Gibson (Ocado Retail), Oliver Tress (Oliver Bonas), Paula MacKenzie (Pizza Express), Kari Rodgers (Primark), Christos Angelides (Reiss), Kypros Kyprianou (Ryman, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue, London Graphic Centre (part of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group)), Simon Roberts (Sainsbury’s), Colin Temple (Schuh), Karen Scott (Scotmid), Dr Pete Cheema OBE (Scottish Grocers’ Federation), John Mewett (Screwfix), Paul Hayes (Seasalt), Steve Reid (Simba Sleep), Ben Stimson (Southern Co-op), Andy Lightfoot (Space NK), Michael Fletcher (Spar UK), Carina Hummel (Specsavers Optical Superstores), Martin Wildsmith (Sue Ryder), Tobin James (Tempur UK), Ashwin Prasad (Tesco), Justin Hampshire (TFG Brands), Avril O’Sullivan (The Body Shop), Kate Allum (The Co-op Group), Gemma Sault (The Giftware Association), Patrick Birkbeck (The House of Bruar), Robbie Feather (The Very Group), Gavin Peck (The Works Stores), Lakhir Sanghera (Toolstation), Tracey Verghese (White Stuff), David Wood (Wickes)