A government-backed report this week warned of a potential lost generation of young people in Britain, with the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training rising above one million. Official UK data show that about 13.5 percent of young people fall into this group. For those aged 18 to 24 the rate reaches 15.8 percent. In the Netherlands the comparable figure has stayed below 5 percent for more than ten years. Eurostat data for the wider 15-29 age group put the Dutch rate at 5.3 percent last year. The Resolution Foundation estimated that matching the Dutch rate would bring 600,000 more 18- to 24-year-olds into learning or work in Britain. Former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn, who led the review, said Britain could not copy Dutch methods directly because of differing traditions and structures, yet there was much to learn. Studies by the Resolution Foundation and the Youth Futures Foundation attribute the Netherlands’ low rate, the lowest in the EU and OECD, to long-term policies built on three pillars: strong vocational education, a welfare system focused on engagement and rehabilitation, and financial incentives for firms to employ young people. Educational participation differs sharply. In 2024, 43 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds in the UK were in education, compared with 67 percent in the Netherlands. At age 18 the figures are 66 percent and 80 percent. By age 24, 43 percent of Dutch young people remain in education versus 21 percent in the UK. Vocational routes are central in the Netherlands. Nearly 70 percent of 16- to 19-year-olds in upper secondary education attend MBO vocational schools, and 35 percent of under-25s study at technical or professional universities. In the UK only 22 percent of 18- to 21-year-olds were on vocational courses in 2024. Former Dutch education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf stressed that vocational training helps people find their place in work and society and acts as a support for vulnerable students. Dutch programmes combine four days of work with one day of study and maintain close employer links. More than half of Dutch 19-year-olds have workplace experience, easing the move from school to employment. In the UK fewer than one in five have such experience. The second factor is the Dutch welfare system. The 2004 Work and Social Assistance Act shifted responsibility to municipalities, creating personalised local support. Although Dutch youth report high rates of depression and anxiety, local councils provide tailored programmes including psychological help, subsidised jobs and specialised training, keeping participation higher than in the UK.
