Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn will release his final report on youth unemployment on Tuesday, calling for sweeping changes to the benefits system for people under 25. The review comes amid a growing crisis, with the number of young people not in employment, education or training (Neet) rising to about a million across the UK.
In a BBC interview, Milburn warned that the government would need to be “candid with people” and that it would take a decade for a new benefits bill to be enacted and for youth unemployment to reach a reasonable level. He added that the additional investment required would cost billions of pounds over that period.
Milburn rejected calls for “crude cuts” to benefits, arguing that such measures would simply shift the problem elsewhere. “If you do crude cuts in benefits, all that happens is that young people show up somewhere else on the government ledger,” he said. He emphasized that a quick fix is impossible and that a long‑term strategy is essential.
When asked about criticism from opposition figures such as Kemi Badenoch, who has called for rapid benefit reductions, Milburn replied, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch. If you are going to will the ends, you’ve got to will the means.” He also noted that no one in the country is willing to accept a million young people left without education, employment or training.
Labour’s work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden confirmed that benefit changes are necessary, and Milburn acknowledged that he would face opposition from left‑wing MPs who previously rebelled against Keir Starmer’s welfare reforms. He said that many MPs are aware of the large numbers of young people in their constituencies who are at risk of becoming dependent on benefits.
The report will outline almost half a million job and education opportunities over the next decade, alongside comprehensive reforms to the benefits system aimed at reducing the Neet population and encouraging young people to enter the workforce or pursue further training.
Source: The Guardian World
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