Former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn has condemned the UK government's spending priorities, revealing that for every £1 spent on helping young people into work, £25 goes on benefits. In an exclusive interview with the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Milburn called this imbalance 'shameful' and urged a complete overhaul of the system.
Nearly one million young people in the UK are currently not in education, employment, or training (NEET), the highest level in over a decade. Milburn's government-commissioned review, due to be published this week, will argue that the crisis stems from failures across welfare, education, skills, and health systems.
'We're not prioritising getting young people into a situation where they can be learning or earning,' Milburn said. 'Instead, we're transporting them into the world of benefits with incalculable costs for their life chances.'
The report highlights that spending on core employment programmes for 16- to 24-year-olds is dwarfed by welfare expenditure on benefits such as Universal Credit, Jobseeker's Allowance, PIP, and Disability Living Allowance. Milburn emphasised that welfare reform is 'absolutely essential,' warning that Labour must not shy away from difficult changes.
He also noted a long-term decline in entry-level jobs and a rise in mental health issues among young people, but insisted that such diagnoses should not preclude expectations of work. 'Work gives purpose, income, and meaning,' he said.
Milburn's full recommendations are expected later this year, but he has already called for a 'system reset' to break the cycle of dependency.