Nearly 1M young Brits skip work and school as government plans tough response
New data shows record-high numbers of young people neither working nor studying in Britain reaching levels not seen in 10 years. Government prepares strict measures including benefit cuts for those avoiding work or education
Recent data shows a troubling rise in young people avoiding work and education with numbers hitting 946‚000 by fall 2024 (which hasnt been this high since about 10 years ago)
The Office for National Statistics reports that 13.2 percent of young-adults are now classified as not-in-work or education which represents the biggest percentage in a decade. Most of these individuals dont actively seek jobs instead choosing to stay out of the work-force completely
Stephen Evans from the Learning and Work Institute points to post-pandemic effects: mental-health issues and education disruption are key factors behind this trend. The gender split shows concerning patterns – about 550‚000 men make up the total (rising 40% since pre-covid times) while women account for 397‚000 showing just a small increase
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is getting ready to launch new policies:
- Cutting benefits for those avoiding work or education
- Creating a youth guarantee program
- Setting up NHS job schemes for people with mental-health needs
The situation mirrors problems from the 2011 financial crisis when numbers peaked at 1.25M young people. Meanwhile data-quality issues make it harder to understand the full picture; the Labour Force Survey faces response-rate problems making policy decisions more complex
We will not allow young people not to be in education employment or training
