Hubs to help young people away from crime and into work to open in England | Knife crime
Ministers have announced eight young future youth centers will open across England, aiming to support young people with jobs and stay away from street crime.
The aim of the youth centers is to assist people up to the age of 18 with job counselling, health and welfare, while also preventing them from falling into a life of crime.
The centers will be located in Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, County Durham, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham and Tower Hamlets, bringing existing services together under one roof.
Concerns are growing about the number of knives carried by young people, with reports stating that children as young as seven have been caught carrying knives.
Reform England and the Conservative Party have claimed criminals caught carrying knives are less likely to face prison under the government’s sentencing reforms.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs said knife murders had fallen by more than a quarter in 15 months, while knife robberies and hospital admissions for stabbings had fallen by 10 percent and 11 percent respectively.
The move follows Keir Starmer’s general election promise to create a new “Young Futures programme” with a network of hubs reaching every community.
Areas with high levels of antisocial behavior were targeted for the first wave of centres.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: “The closure of more than 1,000 youth centers since 2010 has not only eliminated facilities, but community, connections and opportunities for a generation. We are determined to rebuild this.
“These centers are much more than bricks and mortar; they are a statement that the government believes in young people and is investing in their future.”
Young people between the ages of 10-18 and people with special education needs and disabilities (Send) up to the age of 25 can benefit from the services at the youth centers.
The government will launch a crackdown on knife crime starting this week.
A new national knife crime center opened in London on Thursday, where police experts will tackle criminals selling and distributing guns online, often referred to as the “grey market”.
According to the figures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, there was a 27 percent decrease in murders committed with knives. This number dropped from 237 in the year ending June 2024 to 174 in September 2025.
The Home Office said bans on surrender schemes, zombie-style knives, machetes and ninja swords had led to 57,726 knives and guns being surrendered since the election.
Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch questioned the government’s plans to reduce knife crime earlier this week. “I believe what will reduce crime is if people know they will be caught and punished,” he said.
