One million young people will soon not be in education or employment for first time in a decade
The number of young people not working, employed or in education will top one million for the first time in more than a decade, new research has revealed.
New research by Çözüm Foundation shows that the number of creatures called “Neets” has increased by approximately 200,000 in the last two years, reaching 940,000. It has been suggested that the biggest increase over the last few decades has been among those who are inactive due to disability or health problems.
Researchers from the influential think tank supported by the Health Foundation found that inactivity due to illness or disability in this group has more than doubled since 2005 and now accounts for more than a quarter.
This trend means that the number of young people not working or studying will reach one million for the first time since the financial crisis, when it reached 1.2 million in 2012, the report said.
The government recently announced the next phase of the ‘Youth Guarantee’ policy, which it committed to in its election manifesto. The program aims to match all young people with local education or employment opportunities to enable them to either earn money or receive an education.
The Treasury said it would also include a “targeted rollback” of Universal Credit, under which every eligible young person without any earnings or studies for more than 18 months would be provided with guaranteed paid work.
But it turns out this could also be paired with benefits sanctions or a complete cessation of benefits if work is refused.
The government is also consulting on restricting eligibility for the health-related element of Universal Credit to people aged 22 and over, and increasing the equivalent for children up to 18 rather than 16. This simply means that the age range included in the Youth Guarantee policy will not be covered.
James Taylor, chief strategy officer at disability equality charity Scope, said: “Programs to increase employment support for young people are encouraging, but no details have yet been determined for young disabled people, who face many barriers to getting into work.
“At the same time, the government plans to cut Universal Credit Health for those under 22. Life costs more if you are disabled, and without this financial support these costs will hit young disabled people even harder.
“The government should tackle the real barriers young disabled people face getting into work, rather than stripping them of their financial safety nets or forcing them into unsuitable jobs.”
In light of the recent increased interest in unemployed young people, Çözüm Foundation also pointed out that almost half (44 percent) of this group are not interested in the aid system at all.
The think tank called on the government to step up efforts to reduce the numbers by creating a national “front door” to help young people re-engage in education and training and extending access to the Youth Guarantee to those aged 22 to 24.
It is also recommended that the quality and frequency of Work Ability Assessments, which the government plans to cancel, be increased for young people on health benefits.
Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Solution Foundation, said: “The number of young people neither earning nor learning has increased rapidly in recent years and is now approaching one million.
“The biggest factor driving this increase is unemployed young people reporting disability or ill health. This has doubled in the last 20 years and now affects more than one in four young people not in education, employment or training.”
“The government must redouble efforts to reduce the number of NEETs by making it easier for young people to return to education or gain first work experience if they leave school.
“Otherwise we run the risk of a group of young people falling through the cracks and sliding into lower living standards for life.”
A Government spokesman said: “Every young person should have the chance to thrive. That’s why we’re introducing our Youth Guarantee and expanding mental health services so no one is left behind.
“We are also shifting our focus from outreach to jobs, modernizing Job Centers and funding programs like Connect to Work so people have the skills they need to succeed and businesses get the workforce they need.
“These measures are all part of efforts to ensure everyone has the opportunity to move into good, secure jobs under our Plan for Change.”
