Next CEO: The Crisis Facing Entry-Level Employment

Next CEO: The Crisis Facing Entry-Level Employment

From Big Boss Interview by BBC News

May 25, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

Lord Wolfson discusses the crisis in entry-level employment in Britain and its implications for youth unemployment and the retail sector.

(Episode 40) Lord Wolfson, Chief Executive of Next and a Conservative peer, warns Britain is facing a crisis in entry-level employment. Applicants for every shop vacancy at Next have almost doubled from 10 to 19 in just two years — a trend he describes as “indicative of just how big the crisis is in youth unemployment.” Across retail and the wider economy, he says there has been “a dramatic fall in entry-level employment opportunities” as rising National Insurance and National Living Wage costs push up the cost of hiring younger and less experienced workers. UK youth unemployment has now reached 15%. The crisis, he argues, will deepen under the Employment Rights Bill. Restrictions on flexible part-time working mean retailers risk being locked into permanent contracts when offering extra hours at Christmas or during university holidays. The result, Lord Wolfson says, will be fewer opportunities for students and reduced service for customers — consequences, he says, the government never intended. The legislation was “cobbled together very quickly”, he argues, reflecting a broader problem in British politics: governments arriving in office with slogans rather than detailed plans…

People in this episode

Guest: Lord Wolfson

Topics covered

  • entry-level employment
  • youth unemployment
  • retail industry
  • economic growth
  • Employment Rights Bill
  • National Insurance
  • National Living Wage

Keywords

  • entry-level jobs
  • youth unemployment
  • retail vacancies
  • National Insurance
  • National Living Wage
  • Employment Rights Bill
  • economic impact
  • planning system

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Next, Conservative, Employment Rights Bill, British

Places: Britain, UK

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