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Primary schools in England will be told to identify “children at risk of future unemployment” – 18 savage responses in a class of their own

Michael White. Updated August 8th, 2026

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The UK has a massive NEET problem – that’s young people who are “not in education, employment or training”.

Former minister Alan Milburn delivered the first part of his government-commissioned report into the issue earlier this summer – finding there are at least 1 million young people aged 16-24 identified as NEETs.

Now, Milburn is set to publish the final part of his report later this autumn where he will advise that primary schools should start identifying students who could be most at risk of later leaving school without a job or prospects.

Milburn said, quoted in The Guardian:

“The warning signs are there from a very early, early age. You know, frankly from preschool.

“So, definitely primary schools should be identifying children who are at risk of being Neet. And secondary schools and other services should be intercepting, intervening, supporting and helping those young people to get on a different path.”

It sounds well-meaning, but it’s had a very mixed response online.

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