UK Warns Youth Unemployment Poses Economic, Social Crisis

(MENAFN) British Prime Minister Andy Burnham warned on Monday that the country faces an "economic catastrophe and moral failure" as nearly one million young people remain outside education, employment or training.

In an opinion article published Monday, Burnham urged the government to prioritize investment in opportunities for young people instead of relying on welfare payments to address the consequences of unemployment and disengagement.

He called on officials to "invest in the success of our young people" rather than "pay for failure through the benefits system."

"Benefits will become the backstop, not the starting point," he wrote.

Burnham also confirmed that a long-awaited review examining young people and employment would be released next month, promising to take its recommendations "seriously."

Recent figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that close to one million people aged 16 to 24 in the UK are neither studying nor working or participating in training programs. Of those affected, approximately 39% are unemployed, while the remaining 61% are classified as economically inactive, meaning they are not looking for work.

The prime minister identified several contributing factors, including the effects of two years of COVID-19 lockdowns, the influence of social media, an education system that places considerable emphasis on university attendance, a shortage of employment opportunities and shortcomings in previous governments' policies.

He also argued that social media can undermine young people's "confidence and sense of belonging," adding to the challenges facing a generation struggling to establish its place in society and the workforce.

MENAFN20102026000045017640ID1111835305