This is the third of six reports published to inform the ‘Youth Commission’: the Commission on Education and Employment Opportunities for Young People. The Youth Commission considered the current education and employment prospects for young people, and the likely impact of changes in policy and the labour market. Read our final report, published in December 2020.

The Youth Commission proposed new ideas for ensuring all young people have access to opportunity. It was kindly supported by Association of Colleges, Capital City Colleges Group, London South Bank University, NOCN and Prospects. Its commissioners were: Kate Green MP (until June 2020), Maggie Galliers CBE, Amy King and Jo Maher.


This report looks at the likely future changes in demographics and the labour market, which will set the context for meeting these future challenges. Learning, skills and employment services will need to help young people to adapt to these changes.

The Youth Commission aims to find ways to improve education and employment opportunities for England’s 16-24-year olds. Its first report identified five key challenges:

  • Supporting job quality, career progression, and economic security
  • Better supporting 700,000 young people not in education, employment or training
  • Increasing the number of young people qualified to at least Level 3
  • Improving attainment in literacy and numeracy and other basic skills
  • Creating a diversity of higher level learning routes through life
  • Supporting job quality, career progression, and economic security.

21 April 2026

Labour Market Briefing: April 2026

Our analysis of the ONS labour market statistics, released on the morning of 21 April 2026.

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21 April 2026

Labour market dashboard

Every month, Learning and Work Institute produces detailed and timely analysis of the latest labour market statistics from ONS. Explore our interactive charts.

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21 April 2026

Labour market stats response, April 2026

L&W’s chief economist Dr Helen Gray responds to the latest labour market data from ONS.

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19 March 2026

Labour Market Briefing: March 2026

Our analysis of the ONS labour market statistics, released on the morning of 19 March 2026.

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19 March 2026

Labour market stats response, March 2026

L&W’s chief executive Stephen Evans responds to the latest labour market data from ONS.

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17 March 2026

There’s one million NEETs in the UK. Are we doing enough?

Stephen Evans, Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute, reflects on the Government’s expansion of the Youth Guarantee and if support is going far enough to help young people into work or training.

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17 March 2026

Beyond the headline: What emerging qualitative insights tell us about supporting young people into work

Iona McArdle, L&W’s JobsPlus Programme Manager, shares some emerging insights from the JobsPlus evaluation on young people’s experiences of being not in education, employment or training (NEET).

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16 March 2026

Responding to the Government’s announcement on expanding opportunities for young people

L&W Chief Executive Stephen Evans responds to the Government’s announcement on expanding opportunities for young people on 16 March 2026.

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13 March 2026

Training and skills needs: Trends and challenges in UK growth sectors

This report, the second in a series of publications funded by Nuffield Foundation, explores the level of estimated skills needs in UK businesses alongside the level and type of training that employers provide.

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