Jobseekers Allowance and Universal Credit: Young People

The ‘Young people and work: interim report’ by Alan Milburn estimated that in England out of 678,000 18- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training, around 314,000 were not claiming any benefits in the financial year ending 2024, the latest period for which an estimate is available. These analytical findings can be found here: Young people and work: interim report analytical annex - GOV.UK.

As of March 2026, across Great Britain, there are now over one million young people not in education, employment and training, this Government will not leave an entire generation of young people behind. The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion over the next three years into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. This investment will support almost one million young people and create up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn, including through expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobs Centres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers, and a fully funded six month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds.

We also recognise the crisis of participation that Alan Milburn has so clearly laid out in his interim report. We will use this interim report to continue to build our reforms and look forward to final recommendations in the Autumn.