UK faces ‘economic catastrophe’ as young people are ‘rewired’ by smartphones, warns government’s jobs tsar
The UK's jobs tsar, Alan Milburn, has warned of an impending economic catastrophe due to high youth unemployment linked to mental health issues exacerbated by smartphone use. He describes young people as the 'bedroom generation,' with many not engaged in education, employment, or training. Milburn emphasizes the need for systemic changes to prevent a long-term impact on the economy and society.
- ▪Alan Milburn, the government's jobs tsar, warns of an economic catastrophe for young people in the UK.
- ▪His report highlights that 729,000 individuals aged 16-24 are not in education, employment, or training.
- ▪Milburn attributes rising mental health issues among youth to their extensive use of social media and smartphones.
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NewsUKHome NewsUK faces ‘economic catastrophe’ as young people are ‘rewired’ by smartphones, warns government’s jobs tsarAlan Milburn called 16 to 24 year olds the ‘bedroom generation’Bryony Gooch Friday 22 May 2026 23:51 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2982272","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-economic-catastrophe-young-people-smartphones-b2982272.html","title":"UK faces ‘economic catastrophe’ from youth unemployment warns government’s jobs tsar"}}Sunak suggests scrapping national insurance to support…
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