Young People and Work Report (DWP) – BSCOS and BOA joint submission to consultation

In November 2025 the government commissioned the Right Honourable Alan Milburn to author a report that will identify:  

• The drivers of the increase in the number of young people who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), including those claiming health and disability benefits and childhood experiences.
• The root causes of this rise in economic inactivity among disabled young people and those with health conditions.
• Make recommendations for policy responses aimed at increasing opportunities for young people.

The Report will be taken forward in two distinct phases:  

1. A discovery phase which will provide a diagnosis on the increase in the number of young people, including disabled people and those with a health condition who are NEET.  
2. A solution phase which will identify potential areas for reform.

In England, in 2024 those who are NEET were estimated to be nearly twice as likely to have a health condition (51%) compared to the overall 16 to 24-year-old population (27%). This joint BSCOS/BOA submission highlights a number of relevant orthopaedic issues.

January 2026