Britain faces a future “benefits crisis” because tens of thousands of teenagers are effectively disappearing from education and training without being counted as Neets, the Children’s Commissioner has told The i Paper.
In an exclusive interview, Dame Rachel de Souza described the findings as a “wake-up call”, warning that ministers must act now or risk a future “benefits crisis”.
According to her analysis, an estimated 42,000 16- and 17-year-olds are enrolled in college but attending fewer than half of their timetabled sessions, leaving them effectively disengaged from education while remaining invisible in official figures.
Prince George pictured on first day at Eton College
The future king Prince George arrived at the prestigious boarding school Eton College, where he will follow in the footsteps of his father Prince William and uncle Prince Harry, for his first day on Tuesday.
Royal family arrive in rain
George’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied him from their nearby home Forest Lodge in Windsor, braving the heavy rain to escort him to school.
Eton fees exceed £63,000 per year, with a rigorous academic selection process. It has turned out twenty prime ministers over the years, as well as educating royalty.
Hopes for privacy
Eton is used to catering to famous children with security requirements, including recent royals from Ethiopia and Nepal.
It is expected that George will be largely free from press intrusion over the next five years, though some photos of him playing sport or acting in school plays are possible.
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What next for Monty Don after Gardeners’ World exit
Monty Don is to step down from presenting his weekly BBC show at the end of its current series later this year, following more than 20 years at the helm.
Don will see out this season before stepping down
- Don, 71, has hosted since 2003, initially from Berryfields in Buckinghamshire.
- He began welcoming audiences to his own garden, Longmeadow, in Herefordshire, in 2011.
- Viewers enjoy glimpses of his dogs alongside gardening tips and tricks.
- He plans to continune writing and work on other BBC programmes.
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That connection with millions, not just in Britain but across the world, who share a love of gardens, plants and the natural world is something I have always treasured and which I increasingly believe to be at the heart of a life well lived.
Monty don, gardeners’ world presenter
Monty is utterly unique, a wonderfully engaging broadcaster with a soothing, calm presence who has inspired so many with his passion for gardening. We will miss him on the show hugely.
Kate Phillips, BBC’s chief content officer
UK politics
Greens vying for Starmer’s old seat in October by-election
With the by-election to replace former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer just a month away, a local Green Party politician is challenging Zack Polanski for the nomination.
In-fighting for the Greens
The by-election to replace Starmer as the MP for Holborn and St Pancras will take place on 8 October but the Green Party, Labour’s main opposition for the seat, is still yet to select its candidate.
Polanski (right) announced his intention to run last week, but local Camden Green councillor Hamza Chowdury (left) said he wants to stand and has the support of six of the ten Green Camden councillors.
We don’t need another MP who arrives during an election campaign, puts out a few leaflets, makes a few promises and disappears once the votes are counted… I’m asking you choose someone who is already here.
local councillor Hamza Chowdhury
How are the Greens’ chances?
At the 2024 general election, held the seat with 49 per cent of the vote, ahead of independent candidate – who is in the upcoming by-election – in second place on 19 per cent. came third on 10 per cent.
In May’s local elections, the Greens made gains to become Labour’s main opposition.
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UK sanctions on Israeli West Bank settlements spark backlash
The UK Government faces backlash after announcing sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank as part of what Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has called a “reset” of Britain’s relations with Israel.
Sanctions on Israeli settlements
Land seizures and displacement of Palestinian populations in the West Bank have sharply escalated over the past three years. Other countries including Spain, Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands have already implemented sanctions.
Israel’s leading human rights group, B’Tselem, said settlers had taken 100,000 hectares of land from Palestinians during that time – about 18 per cent of the West Bank – and 64 communities of around 4,000 residents have been displaced.
New position
The UK’s new stance under Prime Minister Andy Burnham will see a ban on imports from illegal settlements in the West Bank and providing services to settlers.
Miliband said the British Government believed the occupation as a whole was unlawful, going beyond the previous position that only described the settlements themselves as illegal. He also said there was increasing evidence that Israel had committed war crimes in Gaza.
What are the sanctions?
- Israel’s free trade agreement with the UK means only goods from the West Bank will be affected.
- These include Medjool dates, mangoes, grapes and avocados.
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The British Government agrees that there is ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in areas of the West Bank, perpetrated by settler terrorists. And all too often, the Israeli government has turned a blind eye to this.
ed miliband, foreign secretary in the house of commons today
Was Trump told?
- Burnham discussed the Middle East with US President Donald Trump in a phone call on Monday.
- It is unclear to what extent Trump was briefed on the sanctions in advance, or what his reaction was.
- However, several Israeli and US officials have already criticised the UK’s stance.
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US hints at ‘retaliation’
I don’t know what all of the national sanctions or repercussions or retaliations will be from the US, hasn’t been announced yet.
Mike Huckabee, the American ambassador to Israel, has called the sanctions “Jew hate” and hinted that the US could retaliate against the UK, including by some states barring deals with British businesses.
What about Israel’s response?
Israeli President Isaac Herzog labelled the trade ban a “gross interference” in the country’s upcoming elections and said it placed Britain “on the wrong side of history”.
Meanwhile, the country’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, said Israel will introduce several countermeasures in response to the UK’s “hostile” actions. Israel is to close Britain’s consulate in East Jerusalem and has kicked it out of the US-led mission for Gaza.
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Domestic reaction
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp is among those voicing domestic criticism of the move by Burnham’s government.
He called the sanctions “performative posturing” which will be “practically very difficult to implement” and said that the Conservative Party does not support them as they “risk damaging an important security relationship” with Israel.
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How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
They are in addition to the 48,000 16- and 17-year-olds already officially classified as Neet – not in education, employment or training – meaning almost 90,000 teenagers are either already outside the system or at serious risk of falling out of it.
De Souza said it was a “disaster” that teenagers could silently drop out of education without anyone noticing, with young people becoming increasingly stuck and unable to see a route into work or further education.
Blind spot in the debate
The warning comes as the Government examines the rise in young people becoming Neet, with former health secretary Alan Milburn leading an independent review into young people and work.
But De Souza’s intervention reveals a potentially significant blind spot in that debate: young people drifting out of education long before they appear in the official Neet statistics.
It comes amid a much wider crisis facing young people. Almost one million 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK are currently Neet – with 981,000 recorded in the latest figures for April to June 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics.
That represents 13 per cent of all young people in the age group.
De Souza said she began investigating college attendance after repeatedly hearing from 16- and 17-year-olds who felt stuck and unable to see a route into the future they wanted.
After hearing stories from teenagers about college, she asked the Department for Education (DfE) for attendance data and they told her: “We don’t have it.”
“I was absolutely shocked… I had no idea there was no requirement to report on this,” she said
Using her statutory powers, the commissioner’s office collected attendance data directly from 262 of England’s 290 college groups, covering more than 90 per cent of the sector, for the spring term of 2026.
It found that 28,528 students aged 16 and 17 years old were severely absent, missing at least half their expected sessions. Extrapolated across the whole sector, that equates to approximately 41,995 students nationally.
She said the absence could not simply be explained away by teenagers having jobs or other commitments.
‘These are the kids feeling stuck’
“These are the kids on courses they don’t want to be on,” she said. “These are the kids feeling stuck. These are the kids who need mental health support. These are the kids in poverty. There are the kids why we don’t even know… because the data is not collected.”
More than half – 52.2 per cent – of 16- and 17-year-olds in college had attendance below 90 per cent, the threshold used to define persistent absence in schools.
Average attendance was 84.8 per cent for 16-year-olds and 83.4 per cent for 17-year-olds, compared with 94.8 per cent in primary schools and 91.6 per cent in secondary schools over the same period.
De Souza described this as “an important risk marker of becoming Neet”.
She said colleges were doing good work in some cases, but that there was no consistent national picture of what was happening.
“Some are doing fantastic work on this,” she said. “But they need that national collection focus on best practice: What is it we expect? What should we be doing? Because we cannot let this generation go under the bus.”
Milburn backed the commissioner’s intervention, saying: “The Children’s Commissioner is right to shine a light on hidden Neets.”
“The fact that colleges have no obligation to report attendance means tens of thousands of young people can disengage entirely without clear accountability. A better system is needed to ensure that no young person can be lost in this way.”
De Souza said the response needed to begin before young people reached 16.
She called for employers, schools and colleges to work together to create clearer routes into work, apprenticeships and further education.
“We’ve got to be starting younger when this, we know some of this disengagement starts,” she said
De Souza said she was particularly concerned about teenagers now “sitting in their bedrooms” and feeling there was no route forward. She said young people could be left despairing that they had chosen the wrong course, lacked the experience to get a job and were being “kicked back” by AI. Unless that sense of hopelessness was addressed, she warned, the country could face an even bigger “benefits crisis”.
Dame Rachel de Souza’s four proposals to address the problem:
- National attendance data: consistent collection of attendance data for 16- and 17-year-olds across all state-funded providers, with DfE-set targets that Ofsted can use during inspections.
- Mental health support: faster roll-out of Mental Health Support Teams into post-16 settings, alongside wraparound support for students starting college.
- Better routes into work: giving metro mayors and Combined Authorities responsibility for co-ordinating employer engagement with schools and colleges, alongside improved work experience opportunities.
- Free transport: extending free bus travel to all children to remove transport as a barrier to attendance, particularly in rural areas.
Alan Milburn backed the intervention, saying: “The Children’s Commissioner is right to shine a light on hidden Neets.”