What happened in this episode?
Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell host a listener Q&A with Alan Milburn, the former Labour cabinet minister leading an independent review for Andy Burnham’s government on the rising number of 16–24 year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET). Milburn argues the problem is increasingly “youth detachment” rather than short-term unemployment, with many young people having never worked. He links the trend to mental ill-health, changing labour markets and what he describes as a welfare system that prioritises income support over sustained help into work.
Milburn draws contrasts with countries such as the Netherlands, saying Dutch systems normalise work alongside study and embed work experience more systematically, while the UK’s approach is often ad hoc and shaped by family connections. He discusses anxiety about AI in recruitment and job loss, suggesting government is behind the pace of change and should examine whether public money supports firms whose AI practices reduce young people’s opportunities.
A major thread is welfare design for under-25s. Milburn criticises what he calls binary fitness-for-work assessments and claims that young people on health-related benefits can become stuck for years. He says his forthcoming report will propose “fundamental” reforms across welfare, education, skills, health and labour-market policy, aiming to shift the welfare state towards participation and a “springboard” model. He also describes political risks: maintaining momentum over a decade, securing employer and local authority buy-in, and finding resources in a tight fiscal environment.
