The UK government has initiated a new review led by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn, which will focus on the role of mental health issues and disability in the growing number of young people who are neither in education, employment, nor training (NEETs). The review comes amid mounting concern that nearly one in eight young people aged 16-24 are currently inactive – without work, training, or study.
According to the latest figures, almost 1 million individuals in the 16–24 age group fall into the NEET category. Meanwhile, a separate review by ex-John Lewis boss Charlie Mayfield found that among 16–34 year-olds, the number who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness with a mental-health condition has surged by 190,000 since 2019 — a near 75 % jump.
Objectives of the Milburn Review
Milburn’s investigation — commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) — aims to uncover why young people with health or disability barriers are falling into long-term inactivity. Its mandate includes: practical recommendations to support access to work, training or education for those with health conditions; an analysis of failures in employment support, skills, health and welfare systems; and delivering proposals by next summer.
Review Launch in the Context of Other Policy Moves
The announcement comes just days after the government released Mayfield’s report highlighting youth inactivity as a “crisis of opportunity”. The government is also expected to unveil funding in its upcoming budget for a “Youth Guarantee” scheme that would offer paid work to eligible young people who have claimed Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning.
From White Papers to Trailblazers
In November 2024, the government published its “Get Britain Working White Paper” which signals a strategic shift toward tackling economic inactivity — especially among young people, and those with health conditions or disabilities. The White Paper set an ambition of reaching an 80 % employment rate and introduced elements such as a Youth Guarantee and place-based trailblazers linking work, health and skills.
Why the Focus on Mental Health and Disability?
Long-term illness, mental health conditions and disability have emerged as key drivers of labour-market non-participation. The White Paper noted that the UK is now the only major economy where economic inactivity has risen rather than fallen — with 2.8 million people out of work due to long-term sickness. Moreover, research shows that once young people fall out of education or employment early, the odds of returning decline sharply. The upcoming Milburn review will dig into how the interplay of health, disability and employment support is failing this cohort.
Voices from Government and Review Leader
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden described the trend of rising inactivity among young people as “a crisis of opportunity” and warned of the consequences of losing a generation to long-term benefit dependency. Milburn himself has committed to being “uncompromising in exposing failures in employment support, education, skills, health and welfare” and to producing far-reaching recommendations to give young people a chance to learn and earn.
Implications for Youth, Economy and Welfare
The review marks a clear recognition that youth inactivity is not solely a skills or education issue — but intersects with health, disability, welfare and labour-market policy. The implications are wide-ranging: for the young people trapped outside jobs or study; for employers facing talent shortages; for public finances bearing the cost of benefits and lost productivity; and for regional economies where opportunities are unevenly distributed. If effective, the policies stemming from this review could help reduce long-term dependence on benefits, increase youth employment rates, and bolster economic growth.
What Happens Next and Timetable
The Milburn review is now underway, with interim findings expected next spring and a full report slated for publication in summer 2025. It will work alongside the ongoing Stephen Timms-led review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system, which covers extra costs of disability and mental ill-health. The government’s budget later this month is expected to include funding for the Youth Guarantee, signalling the reform agenda is moving into implementation phase.
Early Warning Land Opportunity for Change
With nearly one million young people currently outside of education, employment or training, the UK faces a significant social and economic challenge. By placing mental health and disability at the heart of its investigation, the government acknowledges that tackling inactivity requires a broader lens than just jobs and skills. The Milburn review offers a potential turning point — if its recommendations are adopted and translated into effective local action. The coming months will reveal whether this is a genuine reset in youth employment policy or another set of reports that fail to stem the tide of inactivity.
