A SHARP rise has been found in the number of jobless young people citing health problems as the reason they are not working, according to new analysis.

The share of 16 to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training — known as Neet — who reported a work-limiting condition has surged by 70 per cent in the space of a decade, analysis by the Health Foundation think tank found.

Experts also warned that the “changing health landscape means yesterday’s solutions might not be enough for today’s young people.”

Research by the think tank found that between 2015 and 2025, the share of so-called Neet young people who reported conditions that stop them from working increased from 26 per cent to 44 per cent.

This represents a rise of 70 per cent, it said.

Last year, mental health problems and autism made up more than two-thirds of Neet young people who cited health issues as a barrier to work.

But the Health Foundation said health problems are not exclusive to those who are Neet.

It said that in the past 10 years, the share of all 16 to 24-year-olds reporting ill health as a barrier to work increased from 9 per cent to 16 per cent, a rise of 78 per cent.

Sam Atwell, policy and research manager at the Health Foundation, said: “There’s been a lot of attention on the growing number of young people who are neither learning nor earning.

“But our analysis shows the problem runs deeper. More Neet young people are reporting health problems, potentially putting this generation at even greater risk of harm to their future opportunities.”

Rebecca Gray, mental health director speaking on behalf of the NHS Confederation and NHS Providers, called the findings “very concerning” with much more needing to be done to address the root causes of ill-health in communities.

The government said it is providing almost £1 billion of additional investment to support young people, helping to create 200,000 jobs and taking the total to £2.5bn.