Former health secretary Alan Milburn has condemned the state for 'shamefully' failing young people by channelling them onto benefits rather than into work or training. His government-commissioned review found that for every £25 spent on welfare for young people, only £1 goes towards employment support.
Welfare System Under Fire
Speaking on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Milburn described the disparity as 'shameful' and a systemic failure across welfare, education, skills, and health systems. 'What we're doing is we're not prioritising getting young people into a situation where they can be learning or earning. And instead we're transporting them into the world of benefits with incalculable costs for their life chances,' he said.
Call for Labour to Act
Milburn urged Labour MPs who previously opposed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's welfare reforms to remember that Labour is 'the party of work'. He argued that work provides purpose, income, and meaning, and that welfare reform is essential but must be part of broader institutional changes.
Social Media's Impact
The former health secretary also criticised social media for fuelling anxiety and 'rewiring' young people's brains. He told The Times that Neet (not in employment, education or training) young people are 'not snowflakes' but part of 'a bedroom generation' who are 'on all the time, never off'. Their sleep patterns and concentration are affected, impacting their ability to work.
Interim Report Findings
Milburn's interim report, due next week, warns that young Neets have 'grown up in a digital world that has rewired how they communicate, form relationships and manage stress'. They have fewer workplace experiences and higher levels of anxiety and depression. Every one of ten 12- and 13-year-olds surveyed said they go to bed between midnight and 3am due to scrolling on phones.
The report also warns that the welfare state and world of work were built for a different generation. British businesses must adapt to offer 'a high level of pastoral care for this cohort of young people living with mental distress'. Milburn noted that employers have relied on 'oven-ready' migrant labour, but that 'has fallen off the cliff'.
Statistics
According to the Office for National Statistics, 12.8% of 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK were Neet from October to December 2025, totalling 957,000 young people.
