Milburn’s review is considering how to address the growing number of young people classified as not in education, employment or training
The Alan Milburn report on youth unemployment, or Neets (young people not in education, employment or training), is expected to lead to the biggest overhaul of the welfare system for at least a decade (when Iain Duncan Smith merged six different benefits into universal credit). Arguably, it could be even bigger.
It is certainly the most heavily-trailed benefits reform plan in recent history. Milburn, a former Labour cabinet minister, began pitch-rolling with the publication of an interim report in May. Unusually for a Westminster document, it was a compelling read, and was widely praised at the time. Since then, barely a week has gone by without Milburn dropping further hints about what the final report will say. Milburn says he has government backing for what he is recommending and he wants this to be a blueprint for legislation, not a set of recommendations ultimately ignored by ministers.
Under [Milburn’s] proposals, young people aged 18 to 24 would be barred from claiming the two main sickness and disability benefits: the health element of universal credit and personal independence payments (Pip).
They would instead be given a new youth allowance, which would be paid at the standard rate of universal credit, while billions would be invested in one-to-one employment support to get them into work.
So the solution to young people without education or jobs is to continue demonising young and disabled people instead of addressing the structural inequalities stacked against them?
What is the point of a deep review like this if the conclusion is that the government goes on blaming young people for needing help?