Youth Trends Report warns of “converging crises” facing young people and calls for urgent Government action

The Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) today publishes a major new report by Tim Oates CBE, revealing the multi-dimensional health, education, labour market and employment and family challenges being faced by young people in England.

As the long-lasting effects of COVID-19 collide with the deployment of digital learning, rising mental health needs and deepening socioeconomic inequalities, the report urges Government to take decisive action that is needed now, as the policy changes outlined in the Post-16 Skills and Education White Paper and Curriculum and Assessment Review will not bite for some time.

Supported by NEBOSH, the Youth Trends 2025 report provides a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the pressures shaping education, employment and life outcomes for today’s young people. Unlike many youth-focused reports, this Youth Trends report takes a longitudinal and historical view, comparing current trends with past crises. It highlights the intersections of mental health, educational attainment, and opportunity.

Stand-Out Statistics

The report highlights several urgent trends:

· NEET levels at a decade high – 987,000 young people (13.4%) were not in education, employment or training in 2024.

· University dropout rates up 28% in five years, with mental health now the leading cause.

· SEND demand rising sharply – Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) up 71% since 2018, with over 5% of pupils holding one.

· Graduate pay premium collapsing – down from 115% in 1999 to 30% in 2023.

· School readiness concerns intensify – nine in ten primary teachers report declining speech and language development.

Key Findings

1. Transitions Are Fragile: A “cliff edge” at 18 leaves those with uncertain destinations poorly supported, including in comparison to earlier support they receive.

2. Mental Health Crisis deepens: 1 in 5 young people have probable mental disorders; rates are highest among young women aged 17–25.

3. COVID impacts persist: Learning loss, disengagement, and mental health impacts are unfolding in waves, each with its own character.

4. Vocational Education Remains Undervalued: Apprenticeships have skewed toward older, higher-qualified individuals; fewer starts are aged 16–18.

5. The Digital Paradox: Overuse and poor integration of digital learning enablers into learning are harming outcomes.

6. Changing family structures: More lone-parent and blended families, later childbirth, and declining birth rates are reshaping early development.

7. FE-Based VET is central to economic recovery: Rising youth unemployment and NEET status in an adverse economic context means FE-based VET is a key part of educational and economic growth policy.

8. Localism is essential: In a changed landscape, policy must be locally focussed and data-driven; national strategies must empower local responses using granular, individual-level data.

FAB Calls for Five Actions

Commenting on the report, Rob Nitsch, CEO of the Federation of Awarding Bodies, said:

“This report presents a stark picture of the pressures facing young people today. But the message is not one of despair. There is much that can—and must—be done to minimise the impact of the converging challenges identified:

1. Strengthen support at the 18-year transition point.

2. Ensure that digital enabling of education does not compromise connections with learners.

3. Continue the movement to rebalance our educational system to value high-quality vocational routes and FE-based VET.

4. Ensure that national strategies empower local responses.

5. Address early years inequalities that shape lifelong outcomes.”

The full report is available here.