Human Times

UK Edition

19th October 2026

THE HOT STORY

Neets crisis is moral failure, Burnham says

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has warned that the UK is facing "economic catastrophe and moral failure" at a time when almost one million 16 to 24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training (Neets). Writing in The Times, Burnham advocates for welfare reform that invests in youth success rather than perpetuating reliance on benefits. He says that the present scheme provides "an assessment, a payment and, after that, a goodbye," with no support, skills or help getting employment. Burnham says his government aims to offer a "clear guarantee" of support, starting in schools, to address the issue of Neets. "We face a choice. We either invest in the success of our young people or pay for failure through the benefits system. We cannot afford to do both. I choose the first," he said.

The Times

WORKFORCE

Milburn: Cut welfare to finance work support

Alan Milburn, the former health secretary under Tony Blair who is leading a government review into youth unemployment, has urged ministers to reduce welfare payments to finance additional employment support. Speaking to the Guardian, he argued that shifting funding towards helping young people into work was necessary to tackle the youth Neet crisis. "We’ve got to have a different conversation about the welfare system, it just isn’t working for young people," Milburn said.

The Guardian

LEGAL

Unions brace for workplace access shake-up

New legislation from Labour grants unions the right to access workplaces, reversing previous restrictions. This change, part of the Employment Rights Act, allows unions to contact employees weekly through various channels. Union leaders, including Mike Clancy of Prospect, view this as a transformative opportunity for the union movement. However, business groups express concerns about potential disruptions and the burden on smaller companies. Clancy said: "This access is potentially the most transformative part of the Employment Rights Act in terms of the future of the union movement." Commenting on the change, Nick Marshall, an employment partner at Linklaters, says: "Many organisations have never dealt with trade unions before, so the new right of access will come as a real surprise."

The Sunday Telegraph

Olly Robbins secures six-figure payout

Olly Robbins, a former top civil servant at the Foreign Office, has received a six-figure payout following his dismissal by Sir Keir Starmer. Downing Street had claimed he had not told the former prime minister that the disgraced peer Peter Mandelson had failed his security vetting for the post of ambassador to the US. Robbins sought a judicial review of his removal. Dave Penman, the general-secretary of the FDA union, said: "The scapegoating of Sir Oliver, to mask the misjudgment of the previous prime minister, marked one of the lowest points in the recent history of Civil Service-ministerial relations, which is quite the feat."

The Daily Telegraph

The Guardian

HIRING

Working-class applicants less likely to become magistrates

Official figures suggest working-class magistrate applicants face lower success rates than professionals throughout selection. At interview, 42% of manual workers drop out, compared with 28% of professionals. Similar disparities affect younger and ethnic minority candidates, prompting allegations that the process favours older, white, middle-class applicants over those from other backgrounds.

The Daily Telegraph

STRATEGY

Barclays cuts jobs amid tax fears

Barclays is planning to spend over £100m on job cuts as it prepares for potential tax increases from the government. The bank is expected to report a profit of £2.4bn for the third quarter, up from £2.1bn last year, and aims for a record annual profit of £10.4bn. Anna Cross, group finance director, said that £125m will be allocated to cost-cutting in Barclays UK, primarily affecting personnel. Despite concerns over tax hikes, Cross reassured investors that these changes would not significantly impact returns.

Sunday Times

ECONOMY

Burnham urged to tackle Brexit fallout

Shevaun Haviland, the director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, has called for Andy Burnham to address the economic damage caused by Brexit. Many business leaders believe the current trading relationship with the EU is detrimental. Haviland noted that over half of surveyed bosses feel the deal negotiated by Boris Johnson's government is ineffective. Economists estimate Brexit has cost the UK economy up to £240bn, with national income per head 6% to 8% lower than it could have been. The British Chambers of Commerce has said it will consult its members on options for the UK's relationship with the EU.

The Guardian

Profit warnings hit near two-year high

Profit warnings among UK-listed companies have surged to their highest level in nearly two years, with 65 warnings issued in Q3 2026, according to EY. Nearly 20% of UK firms have warned on profits over the past year, primarily due to rising costs and geopolitical tensions, particularly the Iran conflict. Housebuilders are the most affected, issuing 14 warnings this year, surpassing the peak during the 2008 financial crisis. Jo Robinson, an EY-Parthenon partner, said: "The pace of policy change is making forecasting, investment and capital allocation much harder."

TECHNOLOGY

Global watchdog urges more human oversight of agentic AI

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has said it wants to see greater human oversight of agentic AI in final guidance on managing the technology's risks. The global standard setter said it had strengthened its recommendations on agentic AI, citing feedback to draft guidance published in June, increased interest among financial institutions in adoption of the technology, and the related risks and necessary controls. The group said more intensive human oversight will be critical in higher-risk use cases, and firms should establish clear, risk-based triggers for ⁠when an agent must seek human approval. A guideline that said financial institutions should ⁠treat AI as "synthetic employees" has been removed from the final guidance; rather, the FSB said firms should recognise that "AI agents do not reason like humans and may interpret pre-defined goals in unexpected ways."

Reuters

CORPORATE

McKinsey's grip on government loosens amid competition

McKinsey & Company has seen its share of UK government spending decline from over 67% to under 40% in the past decade, according to Tussell. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Bain & Company are gaining ground, with BCG now also accounting for nearly 40%. Spending on these three firms rose from £2.1bn in 2019-20 to £3.7bn in 2024-25. Fiona Czerniawska, chief executive of Source Global Research, noted that strategy firms, as opposed to advisory firms, are preferred during economic uncertainty when officials are trying to develop scenarios for future action. A government spokesperson said consultancy spending has been reduced by over £600m in 2024-25.

The Sunday Times

INTERNATIONAL

Brazil shortens working week to 40 hours

Brazil's congress has approved a constitutional amendment to limit the working week to a maximum of 40 hours, impacting around 30m workers. The decision marks a political win for President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ahead of the presidential runoff. The change will eliminate six-day workweeks and is expected to primarily benefit low-paid workers in sectors including retail and hospitality. Lula celebrated the amendment, emphasising its importance for family time and personal well-being.

The Guardian

OTHER

School governors say Ofsted’s latest inspection framework is 'brutal'

The latest National Governance Association (NGA) annual survey has found school governors saying that Ofsted’s latest inspection framework is “brutal.” Seventy-one per cent of respondents said they felt their most recent inspection gave a fair and accurate picture of their school, but the NGA said the written responses revealed a “stark contrast between accepting an outcome and the experience of reaching it.” One survey respondent described watching their leadership team “break down routinely throughout the two days” of inspection. “I think it was fair, but the process itself was awful. [Inspectors] were not nice at all,” another school governor said.

Tes

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