The number of young people not in education, employment or training has passed a million – and the system meant to prevent that crisis is itself “broken”, a new report warns. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that in the first quarter of this year, more than a million Britons aged 16 to 24 were classed as NEET. If no action is taken, 16% of young people in the UK are set to hold that status within the next five years, according to forecasts in a major report released in May by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, who described the situation as a “moral crisis”.
Short-term work placements are seen as one of the best ways to combat the trend. A study by the Education and Employers charity found that young people with a high level of engagement with the world of work are 80% less likely to become NEET. Yet a report from the work charity Jobs Foundation says the system for organising those placements is “broken in ways that go beyond logistics”. It found 74% of schools find it difficult to organise placements, while almost half of businesses do not offer work experience because of time constraints and staff capacity. Issues for schools include rising costs, logistical pressures and growing statutory requirements, as well as the universal “difficulty of finding enough placements”. Employers “face real costs of time and resource in making placements meaningful”, the Foundation said.
“NEET numbers top one million as work experience system is branded 'broken'; DWP issues winter fuel deadline for pensioners.”
Chef Tom Kerridge, who offers work experience in his restaurants, told the report: “I always think it’s so hard to get into those kinds of first jobs when you’re very young, and I think they’re very beneficial.” He said people “get the bug” when they come in and “do a couple of hours a week”. The charity’s chief executive, Nick Chambers, warned the UK “cannot afford a system where opportunity depends on who your parents know”. He praised the government’s commitment to providing two weeks of work experience to every young person, but added: “Without the right infrastructure, support and coordination, there is a real danger that we end up advantaging the advantaged and disadvantaging the disadvantaged.” A government spokesperson said ministers were “determined to change” the situation, backed by a £2.5 billion Youth Guarantee.
Meanwhile, millions of pensioners face their own deadline. The Department for Work and Pensions has urged those born on or before September 22, 1960, to review their finances or risk an unexpected tax bill. Anyone earning more than £35,000 will have the Winter Fuel Payment recouped via the tax system – meaning the money could arrive in the bank only to be clawed back later by HMRC. Officials warned that those who would prefer not to receive the payment altogether must take action ahead of a series of deadlines in September, and cannot simply return the money themselves. The opt-out decision will carry forward automatically unless the pensioner contacts the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to opt back in. The DWP is also cautioning people to report any change in circumstances, such as moving home or entering a care home, or face having to repay overpayments. The reminder follows one of Labour’s most contentious U-turns: in July 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves limited the payment to pensioners on means-tested benefits, a move that charities warned would force millions to choose between heating and food. Under pressure, the government restored the payment to all pensioners above State Pension age in England and Wales in June 2025.
In a separate development, disability benefits assessments look set for a radical overhaul. Disability minister Sir Stephen Timms, co-chairing the first government-led review into Personal Independent Payments (PIP), has said there is a “strong case” for redesigning the process. The Timms Review – commissioned to ensure the benefit is fair – is set to publish its interim report in the coming days, with final recommendations expected in the autumn. Timms has also signalled reforms to help support claimants into work.