The United Kingdom government has appointed former Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland as lead non-executive director at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The appointment, announced on Saturday, May 30, 2026, aims to address a worsening youth unemployment crisis.
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Official figures show over one million young people aged 16 to 24 are currently not in education, employment, or training.
This group, known as Neets, represents one in eight young people and costs the British economy approximately £125 billion annually.
The figures come from an alarming review by former minister Alan Milburn, which warned that Britain faces a "lost generation."
The report projected that without radical intervention, the number of Neets could surge to 1.25 million by the 2030s.
That would mean one in six young people could be out of work within five years.
Bolland will convene chief executives across multiple business sectors to expand opportunities and create clear employment routes.
He will also advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on the official response to the findings.
Government and Business Collaboration
The government announced that major British businesses will back 300,000 work experience and training placements over the next three years.
A core element of Bolland's advisory role involves collaborating with charities to assist disabled or depressed young people in securing training and employment.
Data from the review showed six in 10 Neets have never held a job, even though 84% of surveyed youth expressed a desire for work or training.
The report also found that the UK devoted just £1 to employment assistance for every £25 spent on youth benefits.
Nearly half of those claiming health benefits before age 24 remain jobless a decade later.
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The proportion of Neets in Britain stands at 12.5%, significantly higher than developed peers like the Netherlands at 5%.
While businesses criticized the Labour government for rising minimum wages and national insurance contributions, Milburn stated the minimum wage increase was not the root cause of the system-wide failure.
Bolland previously founded the charity Movement to Work, which has already helped over 200,000 disadvantaged young people secure employment in cooperation with the government.
"I believe the government is serious about tackling this generational crisis of youth unemployment, and I know that working hand-in-hand with business to support young people gives them the best possible chance of success," said Bolland.
Government officials emphasized that Bolland's extensive background in the private sector makes him uniquely qualified to unite employers for this initiative.
"The problem is that for too many young people, opportunities are not growing, they're shrinking," said Alan Milburn.
Milburn noted that an increasing number of young people are being ruled unfit to work due to health conditions like anxiety, depression, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
"The number of young people not in education, employment or training is a serious challenge that has been allowed to persist for too long.
That is why I asked Alan Milburn to look hard at the underlying causes and what it will take to fix them.
Marc Bolland's appointment sends a clear signal that we are serious about tackling that challenge.
His track record in business and through Movement to Work make him uniquely placed to bring employers together and open up real opportunities for young people who need them most," said Pat McFadden.
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McFadden added that senior officials have been commissioned to evaluate further support for young people with health conditions alongside charities and disabled organizations.
