Milburn review to call for jobs ’revolution’ for young people with disabilities

The Milburn review of youth employment will recommend actions to create and subsidise paid jobs for thousands of disabled young people, aiming to address years of labor market discrimination. The review, due this month, suggests introducing "flexi-jobs" alongside employment subsidies and intensive skills support to help disabled and chronically ill 16- to 24-year-olds find work.

Nearly half (45%) of young people classified as "Neet" (not in education, employment or training) are disabled. Disabled young people are three times more likely to be Neet compared to their non-disabled peers. Former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn, the review's author, describes the situation as a moral and economic crisis and warns that failing to address rising youth disengagement risks creating a "lost generation."

Milburn rejects myths about young people being "snowflakes" and emphasizes the real crisis in youth mental health, stating that most young people want to work. One key recommendation is adopting a Danish-style "flexi-job" scheme, guaranteeing employment for disabled participants while allowing them to set flexible working hours based on individual capacities, with government-topped-up wages.

The review also proposes creative job designs, such as "job carving," which splits entry-level roles into individual components tailored to each person's abilities. Milburn suggests shifting part of the £4bn annually spent on disability benefits for young people into comprehensive employment and training support, though he may face resistance from those arguing against funding cuts that could push young people into poverty and further isolation from the job market.

The review acknowledges that businesses often lack the support to create job opportunities for disabled young people without government intervention, drawing parallels to the postwar Remploy scheme that provided state-funded workplaces for disabled ex-service personnel, with the last factory closing in 2013. Milburn urges large employers to adopt voluntary employment targets for disabled 16- to 24-year-olds, though statutory quotas are expected to be avoided.

The review calls for increased job support, including supported internships, placements, specialist job matching, coaching, and employer assistance with workplace adjustments. Common conditions among disabled Neets include depression (23.8%), anxiety (23.8%), autism (22.7%), and other health problems (18.5%).