Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

NEET Young People

Monday 8 December 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister stated the number of young people not in education, employment or training rose by 50% under the previous Conservative government.
  • Government committed to free apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises if they take on under-25s.
  • Minister emphasized the importance of addressing school absence rates, noting it is crucial for children's achievement.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Blake Stephenson Con Mid Bedfordshire
Education Employment
Context

The question arises from the concern over the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), which has risen significantly under previous government.

Question

What steps is his Department taking to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training? With two job-destroying Budgets and the Employment Rights Bill on the horizon, does the Minister really understand the concerns of my constituents who feel that this Government are making it harder for young people to find work and get on the career ladder?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)

When this Government came to power, we inherited a situation in which almost 1 million young people were not in education, employment or training. As we have said, the number rose by 50% in the last few years of the Conservatives’ time in government, and they did nothing about it. That is why we are acting. In the Budget we announced a youth guarantee, with £820 million of investment, to offer hope where previously there was only Tory neglect.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response does not directly address the concerns regarding the impact of two job-destroying budgets and the Employment Rights Bill on young people's employment prospects.

How: Tory Neglect

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Q2 Polly Billington Lab East Thanet
Education Employment Business & Trade
Context

The MP welcomes the commitment to free apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises that take on under-25s, particularly in the hospitality sector. She seeks confirmation of focus on coastal communities with high rates of NEET young people.

Question

I welcome the commitment to free apprenticeships for small and medium-sized enterprises if they take on under-25s, which was announced in the Budget, and I also welcome the commitment to apprenticeships in the hospitality sector. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that there will be a focus on coastal communities such as East Thanet in these programmes, given the disproportionate number of young people written off by the Tories over the past 14 years and the significant number of small and medium-sized hospitality businesses that are desperate to hire local talent?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)

My hon. Friend is right to point out that the issue of youth opportunity is also an issue of inequality, and that the rate of NEETs is often highest where deprivation and inequality are highest. That is why it is essential that we have an active policy, through the youth guarantee, to offer training, work experience, subsidised employment and more apprenticeships for young people.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response does not specifically confirm a focus on coastal communities like East Thanet.

How: Issue Of Inequality

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Q3 Rebecca Smith Con South West Devon
Benefits & Welfare Children & Families
Context

The MP raises concerns about the extension of benefits to parents of teenagers with disabilities or illnesses, suggesting it enables young people to remain out of education and training. This contradicts the Prime Minister's statement on support for disabled individuals.

Question

Since the Chancellor delivered her Budget, it has come to light that benefits have been extended for the parents of teenagers with disabilities or illnesses. Although on the face of it that may seem kind and compassionate, it is also contradictory. Parents and carers are no longer required to ensure that their teenagers are attending an educational setting at all to receive additional child benefit, which means that young people living with neurodivergent conditions such as ADHD are being enabled to stay at home and out of education, training or even work. This flies directly in the face of the Prime Minister’s words after the Budget. May I ask the Secretary of State how extending access to benefits for conditions such as ADHD in teenagers before coming up with a plan to ensure that young people remain in full-time education and training delivers on the Prime Minister’s point?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Pat McFadden)

I hate to sound repetitive, but the rates of absence from school rocketed when the Conservatives were in power. Again, this is something that we have begun to address, because children cannot achieve unless they are attending school. That is why absence from school really matters, and why my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has rightly made attendance such a high priority for herself and her Department.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The response does not address how extending benefits aligns with ensuring young people remain in education and training.

How: Conservatives

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