Please see new polling from the Alan
Milburn Review on the general population's attitudes on the
recent rise in the number of young people not in education,
employment, or training. The polling is based on an online survey
of 2,180 UK adults (aged 16 to 75) conducted between 31st July
and 5th August 2026 by Ipsos.
Summary of findings
- Just 27 per cent of respondents said that success depends
mainly on hard work, while 22 per cent said it depends on who
someone knows or their family background. Only 5 per cent
believed success to be based on talent.
- Half (50%) of respondents believed that young people today
have fewer opportunities than previous generations. Parents of
children aged between 12 and 18 years old were more likely to
believe that young people have fewer opportunities than previous
generations compared to parents of younger children (aged 5-11)
(53% and 45% respectively).
- 1624-year-olds were more likely to say that their generation
has fewer opportunities compared to older age group (those aged
55-75), 56 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively.
- Among 16-24-year-olds, the leading explanations for this were
fewer early work opportunities (48%), limited access to
apprenticeships and entry-level jobs (39%) and broader economic
conditions (38%), such as the cost of living or the job market.
- When asked what has contributed most to the rise in recent
years in young people not in employment, education, or training,
36 per cent said it was limited access to apprenticeships and
entry level jobs. 35 per cent said young people lacking
motivation or desire to work and 32 per cent there being fewer
opportunities for part-time or early work experience like
Saturday jobs.
- If the UK government were to invest more in helping young
people find work, half (50%) of respondents felt that it should
prioritise more apprenticeship opportunities, followed by skills
training and education courses (45%), more work-experience
opportunities (42%) and help finding suitable jobs (35%).
- 5575-year-olds are most likely (62%) to suggest the UK
government should invest in more apprenticeship opportunities.
- Polling comes as latest ONS figures published this morning
show national employment rate is 75.1% (34,469,000) down 0.2% pts
on a year ago. There are 1,012,000 (13.5%) 1624-year-olds who are
NEET.
Alan Milburn said:
"More and more people believe hard work is not rewarded.
That undermines the promise that has been at the heart of our
country's social contract - that if you put in effort, you will
be able to get ahead, and that each generation should do better
than the last.
"That promise is being broken. What I hear from young
people themselves time and again confirms it. There're too few
apprenticeships, too few entry-level jobs, and too few chances to
get on the first rung of the career ladder. It is not a
shortage of effort that is holding back Britain's young
people. It is a shortage of support and opportunity.
That is not sustainable and has to change. We have to
restore the promise that hard work pays off. That means backing
the next generation. They hold the key to Britain's future.
