Greater devolution of power and resources to councils and mayors could significantly reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), a new study suggests.

A report from the Lords Social Mobility Policy Committee argues that educational reform and 'the devolution of power to local government' are essential to improving social mobility across the country.

‘Every part of the country has its own character and coastal, post-industrial and rural areas, as well as towns and cities, have different problems to overcome to promote social mobility,’ the report states.

‘It must be people with experience and knowledge of an area who are best able to pinpoint its particular challenges and build plans to support all those who live there to learn, work and thrive.’

Cllr Tom Hunt, chair of the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Inclusive Growth Committee, welcomed the findings. He stressed the importance of early, preventative support for young people who are – or are at risk of becoming – NEET, alongside targeted measures to help those already unemployed.

‘This needs to be supported by long-term funding, including replacing the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which ends in March 2026, to re-engage these young people and be made available to all areas of the country via local government,’ he said.

Cllr Hunt also endorsed the report’s call for wider devolution: ‘We agree with the report’s recommendations that powers and resources should be devolved, and that the number of trailblazers should be increased so more areas can test new approaches.’

The Government today published updated guidance for Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs), which it says will ‘empower’ local leaders to reshape skills training and better meet the needs of their communities across England.

For more on training and education, check out our new report: Digital Transformation, AI and Local Government: The Case for Workforce Upskilling.