One in three graduates who are out of work and claiming benefits say poor health is preventing them from finding employment, as new analysis highlights mounting concern over the value of some university degrees and the UK’s approach to skills training.
Research by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) shows that 707,000 graduates are now claiming benefits, a 46 per cent increase since 2019. Of those, around 240,000 cited health problems as the main reason they were unable to work in 2025, up from 117,000 before the pandemic.
The findings come against a backdrop of rising economic inactivity among young people. Government data indicates there are almost 950,000 people not in education, employment or training (Neets), with the CSJ reporting that 80 per cent of benefit-claiming graduates under the age of 30 point to health-related issues.
The picture is particularly stark among 16- to 24-year-olds who are out of work. Only 34 per cent hold qualifications at A level or above, while around 30 per cent have GCSE-level qualifications and 36 per cent have qualifications below GCSE or of unknown level.
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