Politics · United Kingdom · 4 hrs ago
Milburn review to propose subsidised jobs for disabled young people
Former Labour minister Alan Milburn is due to recommend government-backed jobs for disabled young people in a review of youth employment in the UK.
The proposals are aimed at people aged 16 to 24 who face barriers to finding work, including inflexible jobs and recruitment processes.
About one million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training, and 45% are disabled or in ill health.
The review is expected to call for flexible jobs, wage subsidies and intensive skills support, including a Danish-style scheme that lets people set hours suited to their health.
It also proposes dividing some entry-level jobs into separate tasks, so employers can match roles to people’s abilities.
Milburn argues that young people want to work and need support, while critics may oppose funding support through benefit cuts that could increase poverty.
The review is due this month and is expected to urge large employers to set voluntary hiring targets, but not recommend legal quotas.
The Milburn review is expected to recommend subsidised paid jobs and employment support for disabled young people.
The proposals include flexible jobs, wage subsidies and intensive skills support for people aged 16 to 24.
A Danish-style scheme would guarantee jobs while allowing participants to set hours suited to their abilities.
The review will also urge large employers to adopt voluntary employment targets for disabled young people.
Its proposals may face opposition from campaigners who say employment support should not be funded by cuts to disability benefits.
- Who
- The Milburn review, led by former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn, is making the recommendations.
- What
- It is expected to propose subsidised jobs, flexible working arrangements and skills support for disabled young people.
- When
- The review is due to report this month.
- Where
- The proposals concern the UK.
- Why
- The review aims to address barriers to work and training faced by disabled young people and reverse labour market discrimination.
Milburn review
Campaigners opposing benefit cuts
Funding employment support
Milburn review
The review has suggested switching some of the £4bn a year spent on disability benefits for young people to employment and training support.
Campaigners opposing benefit cuts
Job support should not be funded by disability benefit cuts that could push young people into poverty and further from the job market.
Milburn argued in an interim report that abandoning Covid-era young people facing high levels of depression, anxiety, autism and ADHD could harm their life chances and lifetime earnings.
The Milburn review is due to report with recommendations on jobs and support for disabled young people.
- Age group
- Disabled people aged 16 to 24
- Neets
- About 1 million young people
- Disabled or in ill health
- 45% of young people classified as Neet
- Relative likelihood
- Disabled young people are three times as likely to be Neet as their non-disabled peers
- Disability benefit spending
- £4bn a year
- Remploy closures
- The last factory closed in 2013
What people are saying
lost generation
most youngsters want to work