Contact welcomes Milburn intervention on work support with note of caution
2 mins read
Monday 17 August 2026
Supported internships for learning disabled young people should be scaled up to help address the rising numbers out of employment, Alan Milburn has suggested.
Milburn is leading an ongoing review into youth employment. An interim report published in May found that too many young people lack support to move towards employment or education.
This weekend, the Guardian has reported that the review will propose putting these specialist internships on “turbocharge.” While only 5% of some groups of learning disabled young people move into permanent jobs, this figure can rise to as high as 70% among those who have completed supported internship schemes.
Una Summerson, Contact’s Head of Policy, says:
“We strongly welcome Alan Milburn’s call for many more supported internships. Far too many young disabled people who want to work are denied the opportunities and specialist support they need.
“But expanding opportunities for those who can work must not become a justification for taking financial support away from those with the most significant disabilities. Young people receiving the Universal Credit health element have been through a Work Capability Assessment. These assessments have found them to have limited capability for work and work-related activity.
“This is a very different group from disabled young people who could move into employment with the right support. Some young people receiving the health element are already in education, supported employment or developing independent living skills. For others, because of the severity of their disability, paid employment may never be realistic.
“The answer is to invest in supported internships, accessible education, transport and specialist employment support for young disabled people who can and want to work – while maintaining a strong financial safety net for those who cannot.”
Milburn is expected to publish his final report later this year.