Britain's youth jobless crisis is growing at an alarming rate, with almost one million 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training. This has led employers to freeze their hiring plans and unemployment rates hitting a four-year high of 4.8%. The problem runs deeper than the headline statistics, however, as a significant proportion of young people are struggling with work-limiting health conditions or disabilities.
The latest review from Sir Charlie Mayfield, commissioned by ministers last year, has highlighted the need for businesses to do more to support those with work-limiting health conditions and disabilities. Mayfield believes that investing in employee health and wellbeing is not only necessary but also highly returning for employers.
The government's response will be crucial in addressing this crisis. The chancellor's upcoming budget promises a "youth guarantee" with investment in skills, training, apprenticeships and further education. However, critics warn against cutting disability benefits, urging the government to reform the Access to Work scheme and raise statutory sick pay instead.
For business leaders, the issue is complex. While they may feel pressure to take on more employees, their capacity to do so is at breaking point. Nevertheless, refusing to help young people and those with health conditions who are struggling to get back into work would be short-sighted. It would deprive businesses of potential employees and customers, leading to further rises in unemployment and economic suffering.
In reality, investing in employee health and wellbeing should not be seen as a burden but rather an opportunity for employers to reap the benefits of a more productive and motivated workforce. As Mayfield says, "We have to figure out how to create the circumstances where more employers both feel and experience that."
The UK's Neet rate – those who are neither in education, employment nor training – is currently higher than many OECD countries. Matching this rate could deliver a boost of £69bn to the economy. The TUC warns against taking a renewed shot at cutting disability benefits, urging the government to reform the Access to Work scheme and raise statutory sick pay instead.
Ultimately, the government's response will be critical in tackling Britain's youth jobless crisis. By investing in education, skills training, and employee health and wellbeing, they can create an environment where young people with work-limiting conditions or disabilities have a real chance of getting back into work. Anything less would be short-sighted, and would only exacerbate the problem.
The latest review from Sir Charlie Mayfield, commissioned by ministers last year, has highlighted the need for businesses to do more to support those with work-limiting health conditions and disabilities. Mayfield believes that investing in employee health and wellbeing is not only necessary but also highly returning for employers.
The government's response will be crucial in addressing this crisis. The chancellor's upcoming budget promises a "youth guarantee" with investment in skills, training, apprenticeships and further education. However, critics warn against cutting disability benefits, urging the government to reform the Access to Work scheme and raise statutory sick pay instead.
For business leaders, the issue is complex. While they may feel pressure to take on more employees, their capacity to do so is at breaking point. Nevertheless, refusing to help young people and those with health conditions who are struggling to get back into work would be short-sighted. It would deprive businesses of potential employees and customers, leading to further rises in unemployment and economic suffering.
In reality, investing in employee health and wellbeing should not be seen as a burden but rather an opportunity for employers to reap the benefits of a more productive and motivated workforce. As Mayfield says, "We have to figure out how to create the circumstances where more employers both feel and experience that."
The UK's Neet rate – those who are neither in education, employment nor training – is currently higher than many OECD countries. Matching this rate could deliver a boost of £69bn to the economy. The TUC warns against taking a renewed shot at cutting disability benefits, urging the government to reform the Access to Work scheme and raise statutory sick pay instead.
Ultimately, the government's response will be critical in tackling Britain's youth jobless crisis. By investing in education, skills training, and employee health and wellbeing, they can create an environment where young people with work-limiting conditions or disabilities have a real chance of getting back into work. Anything less would be short-sighted, and would only exacerbate the problem.
I'm not sure about this "youth guarantee" idea. It sounds like just another band-aid solution to a much deeper issue. What's really needed is some fundamental changes in how we approach work and disability. We need businesses to be more accommodating and understanding, but also the government needs to step up with better support systems. I'm all for investing in employee health and wellbeing, it makes sense, but let's not pretend that just throwing more money at it will fix everything. 
The UK's youth jobless crisis is a ticking time bomb – if we don't address it now, we'll see more young people stuck on the sidelines 
.
!
The economic hit of unemployment could be £69bn – that's £69 billion for a chance to get it right 
.
and it's not just that they're not working, but some of them have health issues or disabilities too 
. I feel bad for them because I know how hard it is to find a job when you need help with your health, you know?
. The chancellor has this plan called a "youth guarantee" that's supposed to help young people get skills training and stuff 
.
. I guess what I'm saying is that this is a big deal and we need to figure out how to fix it together 
.
.
.
. It's not just about the numbers tho, it's also about people with disabilities and health conditions who are really struggling to get back into work 
. Investing in employee wellbeing isn't a burden, it's like a superpower 
. Let's hope they don't mess it up 
. We need to invest in our young people's wellbeing, not just give them a training scheme or apprenticeship 
. What about those who can't even do that due to their condition? 
It's time for businesses to step up & support employees with work-limiting health conditions too! 
did u know that for every £1 invested, employers get £3 back in productivity & retention? 
. It's not just about the numbers, it's about the people who r losin out on a future 
. We need businesses to step up and support those w/ health conditions or disabilities 
. It's not an extra cost, it's an investment in their wellbein' & productivity 
. Cuttin disability benefits would be a huge step backward 
. Let's hope the chancellor can deliver somethin positive 
. i mean, isnt it our govts responsibilty 2 help these kids out? 
!
if employers don't take on more employees, unemployment will skyrocket 
& we all know what happens when ppl are out of work 
. But we need to make sure that people with disabilities are not left behind. Cutting disability benefits or slashing funding for programs like Access to Work would be a disaster 
. We need to find ways to support these young people and help them get back on their feet.
Like, yes, it's super concerning with almost 1 million young people not having any job prospects, but at the same time, I think this is a wake-up call for businesses to prioritize employee health and wellbeing 
. And I think raising statutory sick pay would be a good start