Tag: NEET

Young people face jobs drought as starter vacancies fall by half, study finds

Young people are facing a starter jobs drought after vacancies suitable for first-time workers fell by almost half over the past decade, according to new research.

Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University found average weekly starter job vacancies dropped by 49%, from 139,000 in 2016-17 to 71,000 in 2025-26, tightening competition for young people seeking their first step into work.

The study, carried out in partnership with Liverpool City Council, also found that the number of starter jobs available in 2025-26 was at its lowest level since the Covid pandemic.

The researchers said there was only one starter job vacancy for every three young people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) across the UK in late 2025.

The picture was even more stark in some regions, with six NEET young people competing for every starter vacancy in the North East and five in the East Midlands.

Researchers warned that competition is significantly higher than these figures suggest, as young people who are NEET are also competing against students, workers seeking a new role and older people returning to the labour market.

Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “This research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.

“The Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people, particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.”

Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, commented: “Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives.

“They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”

Young people face jobs drought as ‘starter’ vacancies fall by half in last decade

·       Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows ‘starter’ jobs – vacancies that would be accessible for someone entering the workforce for the first time – have fallen by 49% over the last decade

·       Figures suggest the number of starter jobs available for young people in 2025-26, averaging 71,000 vacancies a week, is the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21

·       Young people’s chances of finding work varies significantly depending on where they live – there are six young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the North East for every starter job vacancy, compared to a national average of three to one

·       Researchers call on Government to prioritise a more localised approach to place-based barriers to youth employment, alongside a focus on job creation and more support for young people while they are in education.

The Government’s youth employment drive faces a significant challenge as young people face a ‘starter’ jobs drought.

Researchers from the Work Foundation and Lancaster University, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, studied job vacancy data and undertook focus groups with young people in Morecambe and Liverpool.

The research shows that nationally, average weekly starter job vacancies have fallen by almost half (49%) from 2016-17 to 2025-26. And while total vacancies have fallen in recent years, the decline in starter jobs has been 1.6 times faster than for other jobs in the last 12 months (8.1% compared to 12.8%).

The largest contributor to the fall in starter jobs are declines in associate professional occupations – such as roles in human resources, business sales executives, and advertising and marketing roles – with average weekly vacancies falling by 73% from 2016/17 to 2025/26. Roles in sales and customer service occupations (such as retail assistants and call centre operatives) have also fallen by 59% since 2016/17.

In Oct-Dec 2025, there was only one starter job vacancy per three NEET young people in the UK.[1] Competition for these jobs is even higher than these figures suggest, as NEET young people will be competing with applicants who are in education, those already in work and looking to change jobs, as well as older workers looking to re-enter the workforce.

Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said, “The Milburn Review has rightly highlighted the systemic failures that make it much harder for many young people to enter and remain in employment. But this research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.

“The implications are clear – the Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people – particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.

“And we need to see more powers and funding devolved to address other place-based barriers to work, such as poor transport connectivity and skills, which often mean young people are unable to access employment opportunities that do exist.

“Without action to create more good-quality jobs, we risk investing heavily in reforms to education and employment support, while still leaving too many young people without a viable route into sustainable work.”

Where you live influences your experience of being NEET

Adzuna data suggests that NEET young people in the North and the Midlands face a more significant starter jobs shortage and are more constrained by the ongoing weakening in local labour markets:

  • In Oct-Dec 2025 in the North East, there were six NEET young people for every starter job vacancy, and in East Midlands, there were five
  • The quality of starter jobs also varies by region with starter job vacancies for young people in the North West much more likely to be temporary than those for the wider UK population in 2025.

Young people who participated in the study in Morecambe and Liverpool also reported a series of place-based challenges to employment.

Many participants described struggling early in life, shaping how they later engaged with support services such as JobCentres and council-funded programmes. Young people were grateful for support they received through the local council and voluntary sector, but awareness of these opportunities varied, and many voluntary sector schemes are struggling for long-term funding.

Participants also stated that hiring processes were complex, impersonal, and demoralising, with applications receiving little or no feedback. AI recruitment and automation appeared to create additional barriers for young people with lower attainment from secondary education.

Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, together with colleagues, commented: “The young people we met in Morecambe and Liverpool aspire to be in education, work, or training but they feel alienated from the labour market.

“Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives. They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”

In response to the rising numbers of NEET young people, the UK Government has announced a £1 billion package to support youth employment initiatives and have commissioned the Milburn Review to identify the factors driving the rise in the NEET numbers.

Taking account of the findings of the study, and seeking to build on these initial interventions, the study calls on the UK Government to:

  1. Adopt a bolder, more localised approach to the Youth Job Guarantee, with a focus on providing secure, purposeful, and accessible employment opportunities
  2. Strengthen the devolution roadmap in England to ensure all places are equipped to tackle the specific barriers to youth employment they face
  3. Boost support during education to improve young people’s transition into work and reduce the risk of disengagement.

Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:“Youth unemployment is one of the most important challenges facing young people today, and it’s vital that both local and national government address it head on.

“In Liverpool, we’re taking a proactive, evidence-led approach, working with partners including Lancaster University to better understand the barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.

“Through our Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme, we are testing new and innovative ways to support young people into education, employment and training. This includes tailored mentoring, creative and sports-based programmes, and practical support for employers to help them recruit and retain young people, including those who are care-experienced or have disabilities.

“We’re also investing directly in our young people, committing additional funding to prevent youth unemployment, providing targeted careers support in schools, and creating new roles focused on increasing participation in education and employment.

“This is about making sure every young person in Liverpool has the opportunity, support and confidence to succeed, whatever their starting point.”

Yak Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions, said: “This research reflects what we are seeing locally in Morecambe, where too many young people feel disconnected from the systems intended to support them. While opportunities for young people remain limited, we also see the strength that exists within communities.”

“Local organisations are often best placed to build trust, understand the realities young people face, and help connect them to meaningful opportunities. But this work requires sustained investment and much stronger coordination with wider services and support systems.

“If we are serious about improving outcomes for young people, we need more joined-up, place-based approaches that put community insight at their heart.”

The report ‘Starting out: Boosting youth employment in local labour markets’ is available at: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/work-foundation/starting-out.

New partnership between UK government, industry and trade unions to ‘better support young people entering the job market’

Entry-level jobs support, AI bootcamps and tech training as government ‘supports young people into the jobs of the future’

  • More support to get young people into their first jobs through launch of new partnership to reshape entry-level jobs in sectors exposed to AI
  • 400,000 young people across the most disadvantaged schools in the UK will get AI and tech training to help them into further education, training and employment after school
  • New AI bootcamps scheme to be rolled out nationwide in England starting with a pilot in the North West this summer

Young people entering the job market will be better supported into their first roles thanks to a new partnership between government, industry and trade unions to look at how AI is impacting entry level roles.

The Early Careers Jobs Alliance will bring together government, employers, trade unions and young people, co-chaired by Prospect’s General Secretary Mike Clancy and the government’s AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies sector, Katie Gallagher OBE. With the aim of supporting people to get into the workplace, learn on the job and build enriching careers.

Backed by £20 million, it will map how entry-level work is changing, producing practical help for businesses on how to redesign roles while maintaining entry-level pathways, and identifying early examples of good practice.

This will start in the Digital and Technologies sector, due to its high exposure and uptake of AI in digital and tech businesses, with plans for this to then roll out across all 8 Industrial Strategy sectors.

The alliance will publish an initial report this autumn, setting out early evidence and examples of best practice to inform future work.

Announced by the Technology Secretary Liz Kendall today, the plans are part of government efforts to break down barriers for young people, ensure growth and opportunity are felt all across the country, and that everyone can seize the opportunities of technology and AI.

Through TechFirst, the government’s nationwide tech skills programme, at least 400,000 students from some of the most disadvantaged schools will be supported to take up AI and tech skills in efforts to ensure opportunities are provided to those who need them the most.

They’ll take part in TechFirst’s skills sessions, school competitions and extra-curricular activities, and industry engagement events – to upskill and inspire them towards a future in tech and AI.

The package unveiled ahead of London Tech Week also includes plans to roll out an AI bootcamp scheme across England to provide young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training, a pathway to work.

This will kick off this summer with a pilot covering 5 local areas in Lancashire and Greater Manchester which will see young people at risk of leaving school after their GCSEs and entering unemployment, take part in a free AI skills bootcamp.

It will provide them with workplace and entry-level AI training before guaranteeing those who complete the bootcamp a fully paid AI apprenticeship – which will be facilitated by local employers like JD Sports, BAE Systems, PA Consulting, Agilisys, and Wigan, Blackpool, Oldham, Blackburn and Lancashire councils.

If successful, the learnings from the pilot will support the rollout of a nationwide AI bootcamp programme across England in the 2027 to 2028 academic year.

Alongside this, a separate pilot will launch in early 2027 around the North East’s AI Growth Zone. 

Focused on young people who are already out of work and training, the programme will provide at least 6 months of work where participants will get hands-on job training in AI with leading tech juggernauts including Accenture, Microsoft and Sage. Delivered through government’s Jobs Guarantee, this will secure high-quality jobs in the North East AI Growth Zone and beyond.

These initiatives aim to turn the tide on declining opportunities for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country. They will help drive forward the government’s plans to ensure nobody is left behind as more businesses adopt AI and provide young people with the invaluable skills they need in modern Britain as we seize the opportunities of AI across the economy.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall said: My priority is building an AI future that is pro-business and pro-worker, where AI enhances work, and people are supported through the jobs transition – not left to cope on their own.

“It’s clear the world of work is changing rapidly with the adoption of new technologies, and young people want a future where they can get on, get skilled, and get good jobs.

“I’m determined to give young people the jobs and skills they need to thrive in an era of technological change, and am taking action now to create a future that truly works for all.”

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden said: “Young people deserve every opportunity to build a meaningful career, and that means making sure no one is left behind as our economy changes and technology advances.

“For too long, too many young people have faced a future with too few opportunities, which is why through our Youth Guarantee we are ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.

“By equipping these young people with tech and AI skills, we are making sure that the opportunities created by this technological revolution are open to everyone.”

This package will be laid out in the Technology Secretary’s speech at the world’s first AI Adoption Summit tomorrow (Monday 8 June), where leaders from across the economy, will come together to put the country to work harnessing AI’s vast potential.

This comes alongside an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee to support almost one million young people – which will create 350,000 new training and workplaces, 55,000 guaranteed jobs for the long-term unemployed, over 360 youth hubs across Great Britain. As well as government also launching a major investigation spearheaded by Alan Milburn to investigate the barriers preventing the young from accessing work.

Prospect General Secretary Mike Clancy said: “We have a short window of opportunity to shape the AI revolution so that it enhances and supports jobs, rather than destroying and undermining them, and it is right that government are bringing employers and unions together to think through these issues.

“Some of the most exposed roles in the economy are held by young workers, and it is vital that we do not cut off pathways to career progression and learning in the relentless search for efficiency.

“We have a duty to the next generation of workers to get this right, and we look forward to contributing to this important piece of work.”

Katie Gallagher OBE, Managing Director of Manchester Digital and AI Champion for the Digital and Technologies Sector said: “As AI reshapes entry-level work, we have a chance to lead by example and create better pathways for young people.

“That is why I want to establish an industry-led Early Careers Jobs Alliance to shape a positive future for entry-level roles in the Digital and Technologies sector.”

Matt Prebble, Head of Accenture in the UK & Ireland, said: “Too many young people across the UK are not currently in education or employment, often facing multiple barriers to getting into the labour market.

“At the same time, businesses need people with the skills to work in an increasingly digital and AI-driven economy. In the North East, we’re working with partners across the technology ecosystem on an initiative that brings together digital and AI skills with practical, real-world experience, helping more young people access opportunities and develop the work-ready skills needed for today and the future.”

Darren Hardman, CEO, Microsoft UK and Ireland said: “I believe programmes like this are crucial to ensuring the AI economy creates more opportunities for more young people, in every corner of the country.

“By combining practical experience with AI skills training, we can develop real pathways into high-quality careers, build a stronger talent pipeline, and drive greater social mobility for young people in the North East.

“We’re proud to support that effort alongside Accenture and Sage, and excited about the long-term impact this kind of collaboration can have.”

Steve Hare, CEO at Sage, said: “AI is creating some of the most exciting career opportunities in a generation and we need to ensure that young people from every background can access them.

“Through the AI Growth Zone, Sage is working with industry partners and government to open the door to skilled AI careers for young people in the North East who don’t yet have a clear route into employment. This is how we turn the promise of AI into real, inclusive economic growth, starting in Sage’s home region.”

Mo Isap OBE, CEO of IN4 Group, said: “It’s time to turn the tables. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, at risk of falling out of the system at 16, should be placed on a pedestal and not be seen as a problem.

“AI and new technologies are a leveller. These are young people with native digital and AI literacy who can be superheroes in the workplace, a workplace with an acute need for AI skills, with AI Native Youth.

“We have created a clear and direct pathway for this: a route, with support and visibility, that simply doesn’t exist for many young people, which is why we have so many who are NEET. I am on a mission to bring a systemic solution to this challenge, working in partnership with DSIT and our regional partners.

“This is a moment in time where a challenge becomes a huge opportunity.”

Former M&S Chief Executive hired to spearhead Government drive to help young people into work

A business leader with decades of experience at the most senior levels has been appointed to drive forward the Government’s Youth Guarantee and ensure all young people have the chance to earn or learn.

  • Marc Bolland appointed Lead Non-Executive Director at DWP, tasked with convening business leaders to help address the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).
  • Bolland – whose charity Movement to Work has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people into work – will help drive delivery of the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure every young person can earn or learn.
  • Appointment confirmed after interim findings of the Government-commissioned Alan Milburn review which set out the scale and complexity of the youth unemployment crisis.

Former Marks & Spencer Chief Executive Marc Bolland has been tasked with convening CEOs across sectors to help implement Youth Guarantee reforms, bringing the voice of businesses into policy delivery. This will help create opportunity for young people and tackle the crisis of one million not in employment, education or training (NEET).

As well as leading major companies including Marks & Spencer, Morrisons supermarkets and Heineken, Marc is founder chairman of the charity Movement to Work, which working with the DWP has helped over 200,000 unemployed young people into work.

In his new role as Lead Non-Executive Director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Marc will convene leading Chief Executives across sectors to help expand opportunity, create clear routes into work and tackle the long-standing challenge of youth unemployment.

He will also advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on the Government’s response to the Alan Milburn Review, which has just released its interim report. In this role he will be asked to place partnership with business and the third sector at the heart of the Government’s approach.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “The number of young people not in education, employment or training is a serious challenge that has been allowed to persist for too long. That is why I asked Alan Milburn to look hard at the underlying causes and what it will take to fix them.

“Marc Bolland’s appointment sends a clear signal that we are serious about tackling that challenge. His track record in business and through Movement to Work make him uniquely placed to bring employers together and open up real opportunities for young people who need them most.

“I’ve also commissioned senior officials in my department to look at how we go even further in the support we provide young people – particularly young people with health conditions. And I’ve asked that that be done together with employers, charities, disabled people’s organisations and young people themselves.”

Marc’s role will:

  • Turbo-charge delivery of the Government’s Youth Guarantee, helping ensure 1 million young people, including those with a disability or health condition, have access to employment, training or education – backed by £2.5 billion investment.
  • Convene employers to business support for youth employment, alongside disabled people’s organisations, charities and young people
  • Advise the Secretary of State on the Government’s response to the Milburn review – putting partnership with business and the third sector and disabled people’s organisations at the heart of Government’s response.

Marc Bolland said: “As founder and chairman of Movement to Work we have, in close cooperation with DWP, brought over 200,000 NEETs into work and I am honoured and passionate to join the DWP now.

“I believe the Government is serious about tackling this generational crisis of youth unemployment, and I know that working hand in hand with business to support young people gives them the best possible chance of success.”

Marc brings experience at the most senior levels of business, having served as Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer plc, Chief Executive of Morrisons supermarkets, and Chief Operating Officer at Heineken.

He also brings a deep passion for improving young people’s lives through work, as demonstrated in his role as founding chairman of Movement to Work, a charity that offers free support to businesses to create youth employability programmes. The organisation has so far delivered more than 200,000 opportunities for 16 to 30-year-olds facing barriers to work.

Marc will help bring business into solving this national crisis – with some employers already stepping in to be part of the solution.

Severn Trent is the latest major employer to back the Government’s Youth Guarantee, which aims to give every young person the chance to earn or learn. Other supporters include the Premier League, Channel 4, Royal Shakespeare Company and Pinewood Studios.

The Government has commissioned Alan Milburn to look into the root causes of youth inactivity and identify what more can be done to support young people into work and learning. Last week, Alan Milburn published his interim findings which highlighted calls for a system reset to support more young people into work.

The report found that, without urgent action, the number of young people who are NEET – not in education, employment, or training – will rise from 1-in-8 to 1-in-6 young people within five years, representing 1.25 million young lives.

The government is prioritising early intervention, ensuring young people are supported before they reach crisis point, identifying and supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), speech delays, and behavioural risks as early as possible to improve long-term outcomes.

Marc is the latest major figure from the world of business brought in by the department to utilise their extensive experience and expertise.

Last year, former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield was asked to lead the Keep Britain Working Review which, with the support of employers, has been looking at ways to help people return to or stay in work.

Milburn calls for a ‘movement’ to address lost generation of young people not earning or learning

Former Heath Secretary Alan Milburn has launched his ‘groundbreaking’ investigation into the causes of record unemployment and inactivity among 16 to 24 year olds with a call for young people and experts to come forward with their views

  • DWP’s Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel and experts spanning health, business and government to support Alan Milburn’s investigation into the root causes of youth inactivity.
  • With almost one million young people not earning or learning the Call for Evidence kicks off a national conversation and seeks views from across society.
  • Former Health Secretary will publish an interim report in Spring to support the Government’s drive to create opportunity for young people.

With almost one million young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) Mr Milburn is leading an investigation into the causes of soaring unemployment in the young in recent years.

Yesterday he used the formal launch of the investigation to set out his ambition to inspire a ‘Movement’ to galvanise communities in all corners of the country.

As well as naming the panel – made up of health, business and policy experts – which will help him to come up with recommendations he launched a call for evidence to help shape the investigation, saying a ‘coalition of the concerned’ must mobilise to save a generation not earning or learning.

The inquiry comes as Government launches a major drive to get young people earning or learning, including a recent £1.5 billion investment over the Spending Review to help hundreds of thousands more into work or training through the Youth Guarantee, as well as apprenticeships places for up to 50,000 young people.

The Call for Evidence is open until 30 January 2026 and gives young people and their stakeholders the opportunity to shape Mr Milburn’s report and suggest life-changing solutions the government can bring forward. He is keen to canvas the views of anyone with experience of the issue – from young people themselves to their parents, football coaches and teachers.

He will take a radical, system-wide approach that matches the urgency of the task at hand.

This comes as almost one million young people (946,000) are not in education, employment or training – enough to fill Wembley Stadium ten times over – and the number of young people receiving health-related benefits has soared, with over a quarter of NEET young people now citing long-term sickness or disability as a barrier to participation. The risk of being NEET is over double if you come from a disadvantaged background and have low qualifications.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Too many young people are being denied the opportunity to reach their full potential, and it is a crisis we cannot ignore.

“This Government has invested a further £1.5 billion to create thousands of work, training and apprenticeships opportunities, but to turn the tide on the longer-term trend we need to understand why so many young people have been left behind.

“That’s why I’ve asked Alan Milburn to help us build a system that supports them not just to find a job, but to build a better future – because when young people succeed, Britain succeeds.”

Mr Milburn has recruited both the DWP’s Youth Guarantee Advisory panel and experts with diverse expertise and lived experience to support his investigation into the root causes of the concerning rise in youth inactivity.

The panel will be mobilised immediately and will meet for the first time this week. It consists of:

  • Gavin Kelly – Chief Executive of the Nuffield Foundation and previous Chair of the Resolution Foundation.
  • Rachel Perkins – Clinical psychologist with over 30 years’ NHS experience and former Mind Champion of the Year
  • Ruth Owen OBE – CEO of Leonard Cheshire and disability rights advocate
  • Shuab Gamote – Co-author of ‘Inside the Mind of a 16-Year-Old’ and educational equality advocate
  • Sir Charlie Mayfield – Former Chairman of John Lewis Partnership and Chair of Keep Britain Working review
  • Tracy Brabin – Mayor of West Yorkshire
  • Andy Haldane – President-Elect of the British Chambers of Commerce and former Chief Economist at the Bank of England
  • Ravi Gurumurthy – Group Chief Executive Officer at Nesta
  • Lisa O’Loughlin – Principal and CEO of East Lancashire Learning Group
  • Dr Jennifer Dixon – Chief Executive of the Health Foundation
  • Baroness Louise Casey DBE – Social welfare sector expert.

Former Health Secretary and Chair of the investigation Alan Milburn said: “Nearly one million young people in Britain are not in education, employment or training – and that number has been rising for four years. This is a national outrage – it’s both a social injustice and an economic catastrophe.

“We need to create a movement – a coalition of the concerned – to help us understand what’s broken and what must change.

“Every young person, whatever their background, deserves the opportunity to learn or to earn. My report will be unafraid to shine a light on uncomfortable truths and recommend where radical change is needed.”

To launch the Call for Evidence, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden joined Alan Milburn at Boxing Futures in Peterborough to meet young people benefiting from local support programmes and heard directly about their experiences. The organisation works with NEET young people in the local community to support them onto a better path.

Boxing Futures’ CEO Anthony York said: “The high number of young people who are NEET is a serious and growing concern. At Boxing Futures, we work hard to ensure young people engage positively with education, training or employment.

“Our community-based, tailored programmes of non-contact boxing and therapeutic talk sessions tackle this head on, both as an early-intervention model and directly with young people who find themselves in this position.

“Working at the coalface of the youth sector, we see every day how vital these services are, and how much demand continues to grow. We are delighted the Government has made young people a priority and is now reversing a decade of declining investment in youth provision.”

The independent report will examine the drivers behind rising NEET rates and economic inactivity among young people and make recommendations for policy responses aimed at maximising opportunities for young people.

Alongside the Call for Evidence, the review is already engaging extensively with stakeholders, including a series of roundtables planned for the new year.

This is the latest step in the government’s work to support young people into employment or training. A £1.5 billion investment over the Spending Review was recently announced; £820 million to overhaul support and give nearly 900,000 young people across the UK support, and £725 million to rebalance apprenticeships towards young people and fully fund apprenticeships in small and medium sized businesses for eligible people aged 16-24.

Barry Fletcher, CEO at Youth Futures Foundation, comments: “With one in eight young people not earning or learning, the launch of Alan Milburn’s investigation marks an important step towards tackling this stubborn challenge.

“Evidence of what works, and the voices of young people themselves, will be essential to finding system-wide solutions that truly open doors to meaningful work and learning, for every young person.

“As the What Works Centre for youth employment we look forward to contributing our research and evidence alongside convening the Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel. We also urge others to share evidence and insights to ensure the review gains the most complete picture of this complex challenge.”

Ishrat, Youth Futures Foundation young ambassador and Youth Guarantee Advisory Group member, comments: “As a young person, I’m very hopeful about the government’s decision to launch an independent investigation into rising youth inactivity.

“Mental health conditions and disabilities are genuine barriers for us, and this inquiry is an opportunity to rethink how we can further support young people into work and education. I’m glad that our lived experiences are finally being recognised and valued. I have hope that the final report will lead to real, lasting change.”

Abigail Ampofo, interim Chief Executive of YoungMinds said: “With so many young people struggling with their mental health, this investigation is a huge opportunity to get to the heart of the reforms that are needed to ensure that no young person is left alone with their mental health, and unable to learn, work, and achieve their ambitions as a result.

“We particularly welcome the commitment to hearing from young people from all backgrounds as we know that young people from Black and racially minoritised communities often experience systemic barriers to accessing the same level of support as their peers.”

Additional Information:

The Call for Evidence opened yesterday (16 December 2025) and is seeking insights from anyone with relevant lived experience, knowledge and expertise.

Evidence submissions should be sent to youngpeopleandwork.report@dwp.gov.uk by Friday 30 January 2026.

A sporting chance with Street League

Street League Youth and Community Coach Sam Faichney explains what the organisation’s all about:

“Street League helps 16-24 year olds get back into education employment or training, and we currenlty have street football events running across the city.

Street football is a fun based football session which is open to 16-24 year olds who are not in employment education or training (NEET), where the guys will have two hours of great football between 2pm and 4pm and this is ran from Sighthill powerleague on a Tuesday afternoon and Ainslie Park Sports Centre on a Thursday afternoon.

If you are someone who would fit in well with just getting out and taking part in some fun free football then we are here for you! Local organisations and agencies are also welcome to get in touch.”

To find out more contact Sean at sam.faichney@streetleague.co.uk or visit the Street League website at www.streetleague.co.uk

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