Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what gender analysis has been undertaken as part of the young people and work review into reasons why young women and young men become not in education, employment or training (NEET); and what steps they are taking to ensure the review’s final recommendations include gender-responsive solutions.

Between April and June 2026, of the total number of young people who were NEET, 530,000 were young men and 451,000 were young women. The Department draws on a range of data to understand the reason young people are NEET, including economic inactivity due to caring responsibilities. However, the available data does not provide a complete breakdown by sex of all reasons why young people are NEET.

The Government commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to examine the drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are NEET. The review is engaging with experts across the labour market, welfare and health sectors, as well as employers and people with lived experience. The final report is intended to take a holistic view of the welfare, health, skills and employment systems and identify areas for reform.

We recognise that caring responsibilities can affect young people's ability to participate in education, employment and training. Alan Milburn’s interim report clearly laid out that young carers are one of the least visible groups in the NEET conversation and one of the most systematically miscounted. We look forward to considering his final recommendations in the Autumn.

The Government is investing an additional £2.5 billion by 2029 into the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy, supporting almost one million young people and creating up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn. Young people with caring responsibilities can access the full breadth of this support. This includes through an expanded network of Youth Hubs, earlier intensive support in Jobcentres through a new Youth Guarantee Gateway, additional work experience and training opportunities, a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant and £2,000 apprenticeship hiring payment for employers, and a fully funded six month job for long-term unemployed 18–24-year-olds.

In addition, the Government has taken wider action to support parents with childcare responsibilities to take up work. The recent expansion of free childcare also means that eligible working parents of children aged 9 months and above can now access 30 hours a week (over 38 weeks a year) from the term following their child turning 9 months to when they start school. Parents may also be eligible for support with up to 100% of the first month’s upfront childcare
costs through the Flexible Support Fund, where they are starting work.