Whitehall has left a generation of teenagers with no hope – Burnham

The number of young people not in education, employment or training has risen to unacceptable levels because Whitehall is failing to listen and respond to their needs, Andy Burnham will say this week.

- Toby Helm Political Editor

The mayor of Greater Manchester will warn in a key speech that the number of "neets", which now stands at almost 1 million the highest figure in 11 years will continue to rise unless the Department for Education (DfE) adopts a new schools policy more geared to their requirements.

Over recent weeks, ministers have attempted to make a "moral" case for welfare cuts and changes to the benefit system, partly by highlighting the number of young people who are not in employment or trying to get work, and instead are living on benefits.

Burnham will say that one of the main causes of this is a school system that fails them and is overly focused on the traditional university route, rather than catering for the requirements of those who want to pursue technical paths.

He will say that schools in England are judged by Ofsted on their performance against the English baccalaureate (EBacc), described on the DfE's website as a collection of GCSES "considered essential to many degrees".