Key points
- Migrant youth workforce rises fourfold
- Mental health driving youth benefit claims
- CSJ urges focus on local hiring
ISLAMABAD: A report from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) reveals that almost one million young Britons aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training (NEETs), while the number of employed migrants in the same age group has surged fourfold.
🔴 Almost a million young Britons idle as migrant workforce soars
Read the full article below ⬇️https://t.co/hmlyZTUeiY pic.twitter.com/AE2b8I9Dji
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 23, 2025
Since the pandemic, NEET numbers have risen by nearly 200,000, totalling approximately 948,000. Meanwhile, 49,000 fewer British under‑25s are on company payrolls compared with five years ago, while non‑EU workers under 25 have seen a dramatic 315 per cent increase — adding around 258,200 people, reports The Telegraph.
According to the CSJ, factors such as “uncontrolled mass migration”, higher National Insurance contributions for employers, and the removal of age-based minimum wage bands have priced many British youths out of entry-level roles, pushing them onto benefits — often due to mental health conditions like anxiety or depression.
Increased tax revenues
As a response, the CSJ proposes a “Future Workforce Credit”, which is backed by Lord Blunkett and Sir Jeremy Hunt. The scheme would subsidise 30 per cent of a NEET’s salary — half paid upfront and the remainder after six months of sustained employment.
The think tank estimates that this plan could bring almost 120,000 young people back into work while generating £765 million in savings through increased tax revenues and reduced benefits.
Almost a million young Britons under 25 are out of work while migrant youth employment has quadrupled, prompting calls for a “future workforce credit” to get Brits into jobs and ease rising welfare costs. https://t.co/Ph7a8waCbR
— Toby Young (@toadmeister) August 23, 2025
Lord Blunkett noted that current NEET levels are “incomparable” to the situation in 1997, when New Labour made youth employment a top priority. He warned that unless tackled urgently, “hundreds of thousands of young people [could be] left exposed to the vagaries of ill-health, isolation and long-term unemployment”, placing growing strain on the welfare state and missing out on their potential.
Effective tax cut
Sir Jeremy Hunt described the proposal as an “effective tax cut on employment” and supported reforms to mental health benefits to help more young people re-enter the workforce.
The CSJ report also highlights that the growth in young migrant workers is concentrated in sectors like hospitality and retail — areas that traditionally offer opportunities to less qualified British youth. It argues that this shift suggests employers increasingly favour non-UK workers for lower-skilled roles.
Why are we not training our own young people and ensuring work pays rather than importing labour?
Almost a million young Britons idle as migrant workforce soars
https://t.co/YA3YtFKH2W— Annunziata Rees-Mogg (@zatzi) August 23, 2025
Further findings show that one in eight young people is now classed as a NEET. Among them, over 250,000 are deemed economically inactive due to health reasons — a figure that has increased by 83,000 since 2019.
Most cite mental or emotional challenges, with 128,000 claiming to suffer from depression or anxiety.
Prioritising domestic workforce
The CSJ suggests that access to some benefits, such as Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments, should be restricted for those with milder mental health conditions.
They also propose delaying Universal Credit eligibility until the age of 22.
Finally, the report urges the government to reintroduce rules requiring employers to prioritise the domestic workforce before hiring from overseas, arguing this shift is vital to rebuilding a resilient economy and avoiding a “lost generation.”
