'Crisis of opportunity' | Independent probe to investigate & tackle rising youth inactivity

An independent investigation will be launched to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training, which ministers have warned is a "crisis of opportunity". 

Led by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn, the probe will examine why increasing numbers of young people are falling out of work or education before their careers have begun, with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.

It comes as nearly one million young people - approximately one in eight young people aged 16 to 24 - are currently not in education, employment, or training (NEET). 

Over a quarter of NEET young people now cite long-term sickness or disability as a barrier to participation, compared to just 12% in 2013/14. Further to this, the number of young people claiming UC health and Employment Support Allowance has increased by more than 50% in the last five years, with 80% of young people on the UC Health element currently citing mental health reasons or a neurodevelopmental condition among declared health conditions.