In a pioneering approach to support young people five times more likely to be out of work. People’s Health Trust has launched a new programme in three cities in England. This aims to break the cycle of poor mental health and unemployment for young people as new data shows that young people with a mental health condition are five times more likely to be economically inactive and the number of 16-24 year olds not in work in the UK rises to a decade high.
The organisations awarded grants as part of the programme support young people with mental health problems, which can be caused or made worse by a lack of work. Three trusted, expert community organisations will work to remove barriers young people face and support them to secure meaningful employment opportunities.
People’s Health Trust has analysed data released by the government in the last week, which shows that those aged 16-34 with a mental health condition are almost five times more likely to be economically inactive than their peers without a mental health condition. Nearly a quarter of all people out of work due to ill health are under 35.
This follows ONS data which shows that at the end of 2024 almost a million young people were not in work, education or training, a figure that has been rising gradually for many years. People’s Health Trust has heard directly from young people that this is both a consequence and a cause of poor mental health. Almost 40 per cent of 17-25 year olds have a possible or probable mental health disorder, our analysis of NHS data shows. This puts them at greater risk of living in poor health over the course of their lifetimes and of living in long-term poverty.
People’s Health Trust believes every young person deserves a good start to their adult life no matter who they are or where they are from. The Trust is funding young people’s mental health charities based in Manchester, Norwich and Southampton as part of a pilot to support young people experiencing social and economic disadvantage in these cities into good quality work.
In a pioneering approach, these organisations will embed specialist employment support (known as Individual Placement and Support - IPS) into their practice, creating new pathways to good work. The programme has a significant potential for a cost effective roll out across the country to support many more young people.
Young people deserve the very best of starts to their adult lives. What many have told us is that this is far from the reality. Many feel confined to a life of anxiety and worsening mental issues with no prospects of finding good work and see their future as poverty and worsening health. Our programme will provide the very best of support to young people with mental health problems, whilst hopefully demonstrating both a cost-effective way of helping to reduce mental health problems and supporting young people into meaningful work and a positive future.”
John Hume
Chief Executive, People's Health Trust
The IPS worker model has proven to be effective in supporting people with severe mental health difficulties into employment. People’s Health Trust will work with the local mental health charities to determine whether it is also an effective approach for young people aged 16 – 24 with acute, mild to moderate mental health problems – making this a ground-breaking approach.
The programme will be evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Research School for Public Health Research (NIHR - SPHR) - the world-leading research school building the evidence base for equitable, inclusive and cost-effective public health practice. Speaking on behalf of a consortium of lead researchers from the University of Sheffield and Imperial College London, Dr Daniele Carrieri said:
We are delighted to be working with People’s Health Trust and the organisations involved in the Good Work for Young People’s Mental Health programme to capture the learning and impact that having embedded individual placement support can have in supporting young people into good quality work and improving their health."
Dr Daniele Carrieri
Senior Lecturer in Public Health at the University of Exeter and a lead researcher with the NIHR School for Public Health Research
Interested employers, particularly those that have a base in Manchester, Norwich or Southampton, should contact the Trust by emailing enquries@peopleshealthtrust.org.uk.