Alan Milburn, the former Labour health secretary, is calling for 16- to 24-year-olds with the most severe and complex disabilities to be fast-tracked onto disability benefits, according to an official review of youth employment.
The review argues that young people whose conditions make it unlikely they will ever secure paid employment should not be forced into repeated assessments to demonstrate they are unable to work. Instead, it recommends guaranteed, immediate benefit support for those with the most complex needs.
Milburn’s proposals seek to simplify the route to income support for a cohort of young people who the review says face particularly limited prospects in the labour market. The aim, the report states, is to remove administrative barriers that can delay access to essential financial assistance.
The recommendation forms part of a wider examination of barriers to youth employment. The review frames the fast-track measure as a targeted protection for young people with life-long needs, ensuring they receive timely support without undergoing repeated proof-of-incapacity procedures.
The report does not, in itself, change policy but sets out a case for ministers and officials to consider as they look at reforms to benefits and employment support for young people. Milburn, who led the review, has framed the measure as a way to provide certainty and stability for severely disabled young people at an early stage in their lives.