Too many young people are out of work and on benefits – and this is presenting a significant challenge to the Government, and the welfare system.

Overall numbers of 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in employment, education or training – known as “Neets” – has been rising since 2021.

There are almost a million Neets (946,000), despite a modest fall of 2,000 in the last quarter, nearly 200,000 more than five years ago, according to the Office for National Statistics. New Feature

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The causes of this employment crisis are complex, with a cocktail of different issues at play. These include the cost of hiring people, mental health problems, the welfare state and educational or training opportunities – which means there is no magic bullet to

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