News · 23 May 2026
Smartphones change young people, UK economy suffers
Unsplash / Kev Costello
The UK faces economic decline unless it adapts to the expectations of digitally native younger generations. Former minister Alan Milburn has warned that nearly one million 16-to-24-year-olds are neither working nor studying, contributing to a mental health crisis. Raised on smartphones and social media, this generation increasingly struggles with anxiety and reduced attention spans, posing significant challenges for the nation’s future workforce.
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