Opportunities shrinking for too many young people, says major report on 'lost generation'

Job and career opportunities for young people are "not growing, they're shrinking", with one in six set to be out of work, education or training in five years unless action is taken, a review has found.

The education, health and welfare systems are no longer fit for purpose in preparing young people for adult life, said its author, former minister Alan Milburn.

"We are at risk of a lost generation," he warned, with young adults facing a "perfect storm" of challenges.

The review came as official figures revealed more than one million young people were not in education, employment or training - the highest level in more than 12 years.

The figures add to growing concerns over the number of young people not being able to secure a job in the UK.

Milburn said rejections for young jobseekers, after submitting dozens, sometimes hundreds of applications, had become the norm and challenged a characterisation that young people were not trying or were "work-shy, snowflakes, soft".

"The problem is that for too many young people, opportunities are not growing, they're shrinking," Milburn said.

"You put in an application, dozens at a time, you hear nothing back, you just get rejected," he said.