TUC chief Paul Nowak warns government to pour cash into youth jobs and stop benefit cuts ahead of Milburn report

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak issued a stark warning that Britain’s youth‑jobs crisis cannot be solved without a “drastic” increase in public investment and a pause on arbitrary benefit cuts.

He made the comments as the government prepares to publish the much‑anticipated Milburn report later this week, which is expected to outline the scale of the problem.

Nowak stressed that without a significant injection of money into employment‑support programmes – apprenticeships, training and outreach – the gap between education and work will only widen.

He also warned that any further trimming of benefits would be “arbitrary” and would undermine the very safety net that many young people rely on while they look for their first job.

The TUC is calling on ministers to set up a dedicated youth‑employment fund, but the union stopped short of naming a specific amount, leaving the details to be hammered out in Parliament.

As the Treasury’s scissors gain a reputation for being sharper than a City banker’s tie, Nowak’s message is clear: spend more, cut less, and let the Milburn report guide the way.