Full Breakdown
Cost Barriers Keep Young People from Jobs, Apprenticeships and Training in England
By Drooid · · How we work
Young People Turn Down Opportunities Over Costs
Barnardo’s charity surveyed 1,000 English residents aged 16-25 and found that 56 % had declined, not applied for, or left a job, apprenticeship, course or work-experience placement because they could not afford associated expenses such as travel, clothing or childcare. More than a quarter of those respondents (28 %) said this had happened to them on more than one occasion.
Findings of the Barnardo’s Survey
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, explained that while young people desire the independence and security that work can provide, the direct costs of accessing opportunities act as a barrier in themselves. She described the existing financial assistance as “fragmented, insufficient and narrowly targeted.” Green Party deputy leader Rachel Millward added that the report highlights how people struggling to make ends meet face additional obstacles to employment, and warned that rising inequality could worsen the problem without a radical economic shift.
Government Review and First Chance Scheme
Former Labour chancellor Alan Milburn, commissioned by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to lead a review of youth worklessness, has urged major firms to create more entry-level roles. The Milburn review notes that companies such as Royal Mail, Octopus Energy, Greene King and Lloyds Bank are already participating in the “First Chance” scheme, which was established directly from the review’s recommendations.
Decline in Mid-Skilled Jobs and NEET Statistics
Departmental data released alongside the review indicate that, over the past decade, the economy has lost roughly 1.6 million mid-skilled and lower-skilled positions. (NEET) have never held a job.
Responses from Stakeholders
Barnardo’s calls for a system that removes practical barriers rather than allowing them to exclude talent. The government has pledged to prioritize funding for high-quality technical education and practical routes into work, though critics argue that current measures remain insufficient. The First Chance scheme represents a collaborative effort between the public sector and private employers to address the gap, but the scale of job loss and persistent NEET rates suggest that broader structural changes may be required to fully mitigate cost-related exclusion.