The United Kingdom government has announced plans to expand apprenticeship opportunities and improve employment support for young people, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham describes the country’s youth unemployment crisis as an “economic catastrophe and a moral failure.”

The Independent reported that nearly one million young people in the UK are not in employment, education or training (NEET), raising concerns about the country’s welfare spending and the need to create sustainable pathways into work.

Burnham said the government must prioritise investments that help young people succeed rather than continue spending on benefits without adequate support to secure employment. He pledged to provide assistance, skills training and job opportunities before young people become dependent on the welfare system.

As part of the initiative, accountancy, legal services and consultancy firms are expected to provide 22,400 apprenticeships annually for people under 25. Additional employment plans targeting the digital, technology and defence sectors are also expected to be unveiled.

Former cabinet minister Alan Milburn, who is preparing a report on the NEET crisis, has called for a shift in spending from welfare payments towards employment support. He also advocated closer integration of job assistance, mental health services and benefits support to help young people access available opportunities.

However, Conservative shadow business secretary Julia Lopez criticised the government’s approach, blaming Labour’s tax increases and regulations for making it harder for businesses to recruit and expand. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, meanwhile, said the new commitments would create clearer routes into apprenticeships, training and employment.