Our response to Alan Milburn’s review and the challenges facing young autistic job seekers

The publication of Alan Milburn's interim review into young people and work comes at a critical moment. Recent figures show nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 are now not in education, employment or training (NEET). Behind these figures are young people whose ambitions, talents and potential are being lost because the support they need simply isn’t there.

For autistic young people, the picture is particularly stark. Only 3 out of 10 autistic people are in any form of employment, despite the vast majority saying they want to work. While the interim review does not explicitly focus on autism, its findings echo what autistic young people and their families tell us about the challenges they face.
 

Young people are not the problem

Crucially, this review rejects the misconception youth inactivity is rising because young people lack the motivation to learn and work. Instead, Milburn argues that young people are being failed in education, health, and employment support, and by careers guidance, and wider public services - preventing them from realising their ambitions.

Autistic young people face many barriers when it comes to finding employment. They experience inaccessible recruitment practices, poor careers guidance, and a lack of understanding among employers. These systems were not designed with them in mind.
 

Special educational needs must be central to the conversation

Milburn’s review recognises the link between special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and the number of young people who are shut out of learning, training, and work opportunities. It finds young people with SEND are 80% more likely to be NEET, and those with Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans are more likely that any other group to become NEET between ages 17 and 19. Among young people with EHC plans, autism is the most common primary need.

Discussions about youth unemployment tend to treat SEND as a specialist issue, but these findings demonstrate that the two are intertwined. If the Government is serious about reducing the number of NEETS, improving outcomes for autistic young people and other young people with SEND is crucial.
 

Careers education matters

The review also highlights concerns about careers education and young people's preparedness for work. This is an area where autistic young people can face particular challenges. Many leave education without access to meaningful work experience, tailored careers guidance or opportunities to build relationships with employers. High-quality careers education must be a core part of preparing autistic young people for adulthood. This benefits everyone.
 

Employers have a role to play

While the review focuses heavily on systems and services, we know employers have a key role to play in tackling this issue too. Many autistic young people encounter obstacles during recruitment processes and in the workplace. Inaccessible interview practices, uninclusive workplace cultures, and a lack of understanding of neurodiversity and reasonable adjustments all prevent talented autistic people from securing and remaining in employment.

There are many examples of excellent employers who have made positives changes in these areas and have found this culture shift also benefits neurotypical candidates and employees, as well as those who are neurodivergent.  
 

Looking ahead

We welcome this review’s recognition that young people are facing structural barriers to employment, as opposed to writing them off as work-shy, as well as its identification of the significant challenges facing young people with SEND.

We believe the final report should go further by recognising the specific barriers autistic young people face and highlighting the evidence-based approaches, such as high-quality careers education and supported internships, that can improve their outcomes.

As the review moves towards its final recommendations, we will continue to make the case that improving employment outcomes for autistic young people must be central to any serious attempt to tackle the number of young people who are NEET.

Autistic young people have ambitions, talent, and potential. To harness this, the Government must build systems, opportunities, and workplaces that work for them.
 

About the author

Jolanta Lasota is Chief Executive of Ambitious about Autism.