The number of 16- to 24-year-olds in England who are not in education, employment, or training has climbed past 1 million. It is the first time in over a decade that it has reached such a high. Alan Milburn, the former Labour health secretary, is advocating for a major shift in education policy. He wants primary schools to identify children who may struggle to transition into education or employment after the age of 16. His proposal highlights the need to start monitoring at an early age. That would be as young as four, when early warning signs can be detected.
Early tracking of vulnerable students
Milburn's comprehensive review of the growing issue of youth worklessness in the UK is expected to lead to concrete recommendations for reform. The recommendations are due by the autumn. One of the key ideas is for primary schools to take a proactive role. They would identify students at risk of becoming NEET by the age of 16. By the end of primary school, schools should look for early indicators. These include how ready a child is for school and patterns in attendance.
Research from Bradford underscores the importance of early intervention. It found that children who were not prepared for school at ages four to five were nearly three times more likely to be NEET. This would be by the time they reached 16 to 17. Milburn emphasizes that this problem often begins well before the age of 16. It is influenced by factors like poverty, mental health struggles, and being in care.
Welfare and education reforms under consideration
In addition to changes in education, Milburn’s report is likely to address the need for welfare system reform. He argues that any changes to benefit policies for young people should be carefully matched. The changes must come with strong support in areas like education, job training, and mental health. He described entering the benefits system as an 'upstream failure'. It reflects gaps in education, skills, and mental health support. Those gaps could have helped prevent the need for such benefits.
School absenteeism has risen sharply since the pandemic. From 2024 to 2025, the number of students missing at least 10% of their school time—defined as persistent absence—reached 1.3 million, nearly double the previous rate. Rates of severe absence, where students miss up to half of their class time, have also climbed significantly. Milburn suggests that schools should use additional funding like the pupil premium to support at-risk students through mentoring and tutoring programs.
Under his leadership, the government plans to revamp technical education and apprenticeships to better equip young people for the workforce. Milburn’s review will align with these efforts by exploring how education, mental health, and job support systems can be better coordinated to reduce the number of young people who become NEET.
Milburn’s recommendations are part of a broader push to address the UK's youth employment crisis, which has been exacerbated by a challenging job market and rising rates of mental health problems. The review will propose systemic changes, including assigning accountability for the early identification and support of vulnerable children, to ensure a more proactive approach to preventing long-term unemployment among young people.
The Department for Education is also expected to be asked to update its guidance on how schools can use the pupil premium, which provides extra funding for disadvantaged students. The revised guidance may highlight the use of these funds to offer targeted support, such as tutoring and mentorship programs, to students at risk of becoming NEET.
As part of his broader strategy, Milburn stressed the need to provide more opportunities for young people to find jobs and ensure those opportunities are supported by a robust framework that includes education and mental health services. He believes that combining these efforts with obligations—such as participating in training or education—can lead to more sustainable outcomes.
This review is taking place at a critical time, as youth unemployment continues to rise. The focus is not just on fixing the symptoms but addressing the root causes that lead to young people falling out of the educational and employment systems. By shifting the approach to an earlier and more comprehensive one, the UK hopes to reverse the current trend and support a generation of young people who are better prepared for the future.