The Milburn Review: What the DWP should be cautious of…

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced late last year that former Health Secretary Alan Milburn would spearhead an independent investigation into why so many of Britain’s young people are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). This report comes after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) August 2025 Report revealed that NEETs had risen to 948,000, a staggering approximately one in eight young people.

Each year, more young people are leaving school prematurely, discontinuing their education and not working either

With expert panels and steering groups being pulled together, and Pat McFadden (the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) saying “If we get this right, the prize is huge”, there is much anticipation over whether its outcomes will result in fixing youth inactivity. But opposition is already mounting with concerns the report will only target young disabled people and whether wider issues relating to unemployment can actually be fixed.

The Milburn Review can be fundamental to securing Britain’s future, potentially solving the biggest issue young people are currently facing. But for that it needs to be comprehensive and bold. The stakes are high if it goes wrong, if it only seeks to get young people with mental health conditions and disabilities into work, and if there is ultimately no change. There are several things Alan Milburn, the DWP and the government should be cautious of…

The review’s mission to “to tackle the persistently high numbers of young people out of work, education and training” is inherently a good aim. Each year, more young people are leaving school prematurely, discontinuing their education and not working either. Anyone that suggests that 12.7% of all young people aged 16-24 doing “nothing” with their life is good, evidently does not care for the future of our workforce, nor the wellbeing and prosperity of these young people. It is right that the government gets to the heart of why so many young people cannot access work or choose not to be in education or employment.

Yet in some cases we are already seeing DWP ministers only focusing on certain groups, giving the sense that this issue may not be tackled comprehensively. The DWP in their press release said that the probe will have “a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability”,  indicating that issues like the unstable and inaccessible job market will be less addressed – surprising considering that the report is intended to address “rising youth inactivity” of which the challenging job market is a huge factor. For this report to have successful outcomes, it needs to address the major systemic problems young people face instead of pedalling “easily fixable solutions” like other parties.

We should be creating a workforce and workspaces where those with disabilities and mental health conditions feel comfortable and supported to work if they are able to

There is also the issue that the Milburn needs to be cautious that the report does not generalise and blame young people for their unemployment or economic inactivity. The report and its outcomes need to address the problems which lay outside of young people’s control and yet dictate the lives of millions of young people: shrinking grad schemes, the impact of AI, and broader economic problems, to name a few, resulting in over 96,000 unemployed graduates each year. With Labour’s current electoral weakness, and with so many young people turning to other parties offering ‘easier’ solutions, it is vital that the DWP does not place the blame of this on young people to shy away from major and difficult decisions regarding problems that need to be fixed.

While the DWP does intend to deal with young people being out of work for health reasons, referencing that over a quarter of young people cite long-term sickness or disability is a barrier to participation, dealing with these issues need to be done sensitively. We should be creating a workforce and workspaces where those with disabilities and mental health conditions feel comfortable and supported to work if they are able to. The government has made clear they want more young people with disabilities and mental health conditions to enter the workforce, an aim that is not unreasonable if conducted in a way that is respectful, uplifting and supportive.

However, if responses to the report is to cut personal independence payments (Pip) for disabled young people, or to dismiss mental health conditions, then the report and its outcomes will fail miserably.

For it to be respectful, uplifting, and supportive, one of the things that desperately needs to be done is consultation with disabled people and people who have experienced receiving Pip. At the Fabian Society New Year Conference on January 24, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability said that this is being done. He pointed out that majority of the 12 people on the disability steering group are disabled and have experienced using Pip. It is hoped that this would keep disabled people and their experiences at the centre of getting young disabled people into work.

Disabled people need to remain at the heart of solving the reason why so many young people are NEET for health-related reasons – any other method of research and policy creation would be not only ineffective, but further damaging to the Labour Party whose record on disability is not strong.

The report cannot simply be an excuse to blame young people for the issues they desperately want fixed, and it cannot be an opportunity to target young disabled people

The DWP and the government also needs to stand by their findings and policy aims (if they are good and are cautious of the above) and not surrender to criticisms. The government will have to take bold action for this “crisis of opportunity” to be fixed. It may require more spending on areas like Job Centres, the Future Jobs Fund, and mental health programmes stirring opposition. This report and its findings must not be dictated by fear of public and political reaction, nor by attempts to compete with voices to the left and right.

At its core, it should attempt to grow youth employment and education (something which is popular across Britain) as well as foster better attitudes towards working with mental health and disabilities. Ruthlessness and dismissal are not the way forward here.

Milburn’s investigation is an opportunity to reconsider the biggest problem young people are faced with. It’s an opportunity to stop more young people from becoming disillusioned, to create greater financial growth, and to create more healthy, productive attitudes towards the relationship between disability, mental health, and work. Yet this must be done right the first time. The report cannot simply be an excuse to blame young people for the issues they desperately want fixed, and it cannot be an opportunity to target young disabled people. As I’ve said, the sensitive issues that do need to be addressed need to be done in a way that is respectful, uplifting, and supportive.