We speak to two guests - Harriet McCann, the Director of Policy, Insights and External Affairs at the National Youth Agency, and Richard Rigby, the Head of UK Government Affairs at the King's Trust, who give their perspectives on the multifaceted causes of this challenge, which include - but are not limited to - economic instability, the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased mental health concerns among the young. We explore the systemic barriers that exacerbate this crisis and the potential strategies for fostering a more supportive environment for young people.

The episode touches on the recently published National Youth Strategy and the need for cohesive, cross-departmental collaboration to address these issues. The WPI Economics team then reflects on the need for a holistic approach that emphasises the importance of early intervention and support mechanisms to mitigate the risks faced by the current generation.

Takeaways:

1. The podcast discusses the alarming statistic that nearly a million young individuals in the UK are currently classified as neither in education, employment, nor training, a situation that necessitates urgent action.
2. The conversation highlights the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young people, exacerbating existing challenges and creating new barriers to employment and education.
3. Expert guests emphasise the fundamental role of youth work in fostering resilience and the importance of providing young people with trusted adults to guide them during critical transitions into adulthood.
4. It is posited that systemic issues such as child poverty and cuts to youth services have worsened the current situation for young people, necessitating a comprehensive reassessment of funding priorities and support mechanisms.
5. The episode underscores the need for a multifaceted approach, addressing both immediate employment challenges and the long-term societal issues impacting youth engagement and well-being

Links:

National Youth Strategy:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/youth-matters-your-national-youth-strategy/youth-matters-your-national-youth-strategy

National Youth Agency response:

https://nya.org.uk/nya-response-to-the-national-youth-strategy/

King’s Trust’s 50th Anniversary social impact report: https://www.kingstrust.org.uk/about-us/news-views/50-years-of-working-for-young-people-report

NEET data, February 2026, ONS:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/bulletins/youngpeoplenotineducationemploymentortrainingneet/february2026

00:00 Welcome and Youth Strategy

01:22 Why NEET Is Rising

02:48 Youth Work and Prevention

05:54 Funding and Joined Up Government

08:54 Trusted Adults by 2035

10:33 Proving Impact and Value

12:14 What We Over and Underthink

14:01 Richard on Disrupted Generation

17:22 Kings Trust Solutions and Partnerships

21:23 Impact Report and ROI Evidence

22:46 Stop Blaming Young People

24:52 WPI Debrief UK Specific Problem

28:41 How the SROI Was Built

32:11 Ed on Poverty and Pensions

35:41 Wrap Up and Next Steps

Thinking Policy = Policy Unboxed.

This episode discusses the legacy and influence of the first Pensions Commission, lauded for setting a standard in evidence-based, long-term policymaking, and the challenges facing its successor. The episode examines the first Commission's impact, the continuity of its policy approaches and the importance of long-term decision making. It explores what has changed in the employment landscape since, including the rise of self-employment, and the need for the future system to tackle remaining gaps in coverage while also addressing issues around pension adequacy. The discussion looks ahead to how the second Pensions Commission can respond effectively to this more complex picture.

Joining the WPI Economics team for this first episode are our experts:

Jo Phillips - Director of Research and Innovation at Nest Insight https://www.nestinsight.org.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-phillips-3930323/

Matt Burrell - Head of Public Affairs for Long-Term Savings at Phoenix Group https://www.thephoenixgroup.com/

linkedin.com/in/matthewcburrell

For more information:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-pensions-commission

www.nestinsight.org.uk

Workplace emergency savings, including sidecar saving

Supporting self-employed people to save for retirement

Housing and Pensions

Pensions adequacy and the household balance sheet

UK pension reforms (1997-2015)

NEW: Nest Insight research suggests caution needed over the idea of ‘pension access schemes’ for first-time home buyers

Join the conversation, find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/wpi-economics/posts/?feedView=all

https://wpieconomics.com/podcasts/episode-1/

Keep up to date with our work, upcoming events and policy insights by signing up to our newsletter -

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00:00 Introduction to the Pensions Commission

00:18 Evaluating the Commission's Reputation

00:47 Impact of Government Changes on Policy

00:58 The Role of Political Consensus

01:29 Fundamental Shifts in Pension Saving

02:10 Changes in Work and Retirement Since 2006

02:21 Challenges of a Pillar Two-Based Pension System

03:16 The Rise of Precarious Employment

03:41 Automatic Enrollment and Employer Roles

04:01 Pension Freedoms and Retirement Income

04:41 Balancing Complexity and Simplicity in Pension Systems

09:04 Increasing Private Pension Savings

09:46 Addressing Self-Employment in Pension Policy

10:49 The Commission's Remit and Recommendations

12:24 Conclusion: Ensuring Adequate Retirement

The WPI Economics team then reflects, fact-checks, and challenges assumptions to uncover what really works. Topics include inequality, welfare, housing policy, green growth, and the future of work. Subscribe on your favourite podcast app and follow WPI Economics on LinkedIn.

Join the conversation, find us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/wpi-economics/posts/?feedView=all

Keep up to date with our work, upcoming events and policy insights by signing up to our newsletter -

https://wpieconomics.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=59aedfe7c4344116a3955fe95&id=8fa8a934e5

https://wpieconomics.com/

00:00 Introduction to Thinking Policy Podcast

00:13 Expert Guests and Their Perspectives

00:25 WPI Economics Team's Role

00:41 Topics We Cover

01:03 Join the Conversation