Alan Milburn, a former Labour cabinet minister, said that rising numbers of young people not in education, employment, or training risk becoming a "lost generation."
The findings, presented during a live address on the Guardian News YouTube channel, signal a potential systemic failure in the UK labor market. If current trends continue, the economic and social impact on millions of young adults could persist for decades.
Milburn's report focuses on those categorized as NEETs — people not in education, employment, or training. According to current data, more than one million young people fall into this category [1]. Milburn said the lack of jobs is like an epidemic.
The report projects a sharp increase in this population. One in six people aged 16 to 24 will not be in education, employment, or training within five years [2]. Other estimates suggest that one in six youths will be on the dole by 2030 [3].
Milburn said the situation is more than a statistic, it is a warning. He called for urgent policy action to prevent the projected rise in unemployment and detachment from the workforce.
The former minister said the scale of the issue requires immediate intervention to avoid long-term scarring of the workforce. He said the number of so-called NEETs is on course to jump, creating a precarious future for a significant portion of the youth population [4].
“"It's more than a statistic, it's a warning"”
The report highlights a critical gap between the education system and the available job market. By projecting that 16.6% of the 16-24 demographic will be unemployed or out of training by 2030, Milburn is signaling that the UK faces a structural economic crisis rather than a temporary cyclical downturn. This suggests that without significant policy shifts, the country may face a permanent loss of productivity and a surge in long-term welfare dependency.
