13 October 2025
Fewer than half of young people feel ready for work after education
A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) explores the barriers to opportunity for young people across the UK. ‘Towards universal opportunity for young people’ covers the results of a survey of over 3,600 adults across the UK, focus groups with young people and a review of evidence.
It found that only 47% of young people felt ready for work when they left education, while those who were NEET scored lower at around 36%. Around two-thirds of adults said enrichment activities during education can help improve employment outcomes, yet those on free school meals or NEET were likely to spend fewer hours on enrichment activities, and there were significant differences regionally.
The report sets out a series of principles to inform solutions to social mobility and opportunity challenges, stating these as Equity, Place, Lifelong opportunity and Interventions beyond the school gates.
The report recommends a National Youth Strategy including minimum hours of enrichment activities, after school clubs and Youth Futures hubs, increasing the upper age for the Youth Guarantee to 24, creating a Risk of Neet Indicator database and ringfencing levy funding for careers hubs in deprived areas. The Government should also set a target for apprenticeship starts, explore pre-apprenticeship pathways and ensure at least 50% of the growth and skills levy is targeted at those under 25.
Read the Towards Universal Opportunity report.
It found that only 47% of young people felt ready for work when they left education, while those who were NEET scored lower at around 36%. Around two-thirds of adults said enrichment activities during education can help improve employment outcomes, yet those on free school meals or NEET were likely to spend fewer hours on enrichment activities, and there were significant differences regionally.
The report sets out a series of principles to inform solutions to social mobility and opportunity challenges, stating these as Equity, Place, Lifelong opportunity and Interventions beyond the school gates.
The report recommends a National Youth Strategy including minimum hours of enrichment activities, after school clubs and Youth Futures hubs, increasing the upper age for the Youth Guarantee to 24, creating a Risk of Neet Indicator database and ringfencing levy funding for careers hubs in deprived areas. The Government should also set a target for apprenticeship starts, explore pre-apprenticeship pathways and ensure at least 50% of the growth and skills levy is targeted at those under 25.
Read the Towards Universal Opportunity report.
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