Towards Universal Opportunity for Young People
IPPR · 2025
Young people aged 14–24 in the UK face worsening social mobility, rising NEET rates, and declining mental health, compounded by inequalities of class, geography, ethnicity and disability. Drawing on a nationally representative poll of 3,603 people and youth focus groups, the report finds that disadvantaged and marginalised young people have less access to enrichment activities, careers education, and employment support during the transition from education to work. It proposes a framework of "universal opportunity" built on principles of equity, place, lifelong opportunity, and cross-government action, and makes practical recommendations on enrichment entitlements, an expanded youth guarantee with a wage subsidy scheme, and ringfenced apprenticeship funding for under-25s.
