UK ministers are scrapping requirements for companies to prove green values to win £90bn in government contracts, doubling the weight given to job creation and youth employment instead.
The UK government has urged councils and schools in England to improve identification of 16-17 year olds not in education, employment, or training (Neet), admitting 32,100 are unaccounted for. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is demanding better data collection to prevent a "lost generation."
Over a million young people in the UK are not in education, employment, or training (Neets), a growing problem for 16-24 year olds. While other European countries recovered post-Covid, the UK has not. Guardian reporter Sammy Gecsoyler explores the demoralizing impact of AI and remote job applications on their prospects.
Andy Burnham's potential victory in the Makerfield byelection could usher in significant political reform, including proportional representation and stricter campaign finance laws. The article argues this is crucial to counter the influence of figures like Nigel Farage and restore trust in British politics.
The UK has the third-highest rate of young people not in education, employment or training (Neets) among Europe's richest countries, with almost 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds affected – the highest level in over a decade. The Resolution Foundation report cites a "quartet of causes": rising ill-health among young people, weak vocational education, a hands-off benefits system, and a deteriorating jobs market. The Neet rate for 18- to 24-year-olds jumped from 13% in 2019 to 15% in 2025, higher than Germany and Denmark, and more than three times the rate in the Netherlands.
