Ahead of the Autumn Budget, we spoke to young people about the decisions they want the Chancellor to consider and what those decisions could mean for their lives and futures.
Their responses covered much more than individual spending priorities. Young people spoke about the cost of finding somewhere to live, the opportunities available in their communities, the support they need through education and into employment, and the public services they rely on.
They also raised questions about how economic decisions are made, how they are communicated and whether young people have a meaningful say in the policies that affect them.
What emerges is a picture of how closely connected these issues are. Access to transport can determine which education or employment opportunities are realistic. Housing security can shape someone's ability to continue studying or sustain a job. And the opportunities available locally can influence whether a young person feels able to build a future where they live.
Below, members of The Current share their perspectives on the priorities they want the Chancellor and wider government to consider.
Housing, financial security and independence
For many young people, financial security is closely connected to their ability to study, work and plan for the future. Housing costs, student finance and access to stable accommodation were among the issues raised.
Casey highlighted the financial pressures facing students:
"The Chancellor needs to take control of the situation regarding student loans. Some students do not even have their rent covered by their maintenance loans and are unable to afford essentials."
Amy raised concerns about the affordability of homeownership:
"I believe that affordable housing should be an important focus, particularly as the age at which people can afford to buy their first home continues to increase."
For Isla, the connection between housing and employment is particularly important, drawing on her own experience of housing insecurity.
"Having experienced housing insecurity myself, I know how it can disrupt education, employment and planning for the future. Finding work can help someone move towards independence, but homelessness can also make it harder to access and keep a job in the first place."
Isla also highlighted the importance of considering housing and employment support together, rather than treating them as separate challenges.
"I'd like to see the Budget explore what practical support helps people experiencing homelessness access and sustain employment while moving towards stable housing. Success should be measured not just by whether someone has been placed in a job or temporary accommodation, but by whether they can sustain employment, continue their education where relevant, and move towards an independent and stable future."
Education, employment and opportunities close to home
Young people also spoke about the transition from education into employment, the availability of opportunities and the support needed to build successful careers.
Aarya challenged assumptions about young people entering the labour market:
"For young people navigating a brutal jobs market, the Chancellor needs to tackle not just economic barriers, but the damaging narrative that young people are somehow 'soft', 'lazy' or failing despite unprecedented digital access to knowledge."
"Growing up digital doesn't mean young people magically possess the roadmap to navigate a broken economy without guidance. They desperately need relational support and 'trusted adults', not condescension from older generations or the media."
Aarya also raised the geographical differences in access to employment:
"Graduate and entry-level roles are hyper-concentrated in London and the South, forcing young people who can't afford to relocate to choose between leaving home or being locked out of their careers."
"Budget allocations for skills and jobs must be decentralised so that regions like the East Midlands become vibrant places where young people can build a future without having to pack up and move away. Essentially, meet young people where they already are!"
Freddie focused on investment in education and training:
"The government should invest in education and training by funding more apprenticeships and improving college facilities, providing more opportunities for young people to develop the skills they need for well-paid jobs in the future."
For Bea, the discussion around young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) needs to recognise the experiences behind the statistics:
"NEET isn't just a statistic, or a problem to be solved, but real young people who have become disillusioned and traumatised by an education system that focuses on our ability to contribute to an economy rather than fulfil our own aspirations."
"'Fixing' the NEET crisis should be about making education and employment a place that young people want to be."
Daniel also expressed concern about the number of young people outside education, employment and training, proposing a change to National Insurance as a way of encouraging employers to recruit younger workers:
"Approximately one million young people not in education, employment or training is extremely concerning for the UK. One thing that can be done to encourage employers to employ young people would be to cut National Insurance for under-25s."
Meanwhile, Amy highlighted the role of local businesses in creating employment opportunities:
"I think reducing business rates for small businesses could be important, as supporting local businesses can help to create jobs and opportunities that young people can enter."
Public services, transport and community spaces
Alongside employment and financial security, young people raised the importance of services and spaces that support their everyday lives.
George spoke about the affordability and accessibility of public transport, particularly for young people travelling to school.
"Young people have to go to school, and not all schools are accessible by walking, especially with new housing estates being built outside of town centres."
"One specific thing that the Chancellor could do is discount fares or make public transport free for young people. It might not have to be free or discounted all the time, but specifically around school time."
George also highlighted the potential environmental benefits of more accessible public transport and the importance of investing in local community spaces.
"There should be more funding for community spaces, including parks, high streets and schools. Community spaces often feel less vibrant because the funding is not available for them to be cared for. Spaces to relax and enjoy nature are extremely important for everyone's mental health, especially young people's."
He also called for greater investment in neighbourhood policing, raising concerns about the capacity of officers to spend time in local communities.
Alice focused on children's mental health and the importance of accessible support:
"The Chancellor should focus on children's mental health by understanding what people go through and taking it into consideration."
She suggested practical ways that support could be made more accessible:
"Accessible places for free, like youth clubs, support in schools and support at home. They should pay for a website or something where children can put in their worries and someone will answer back."
Amy also raised concerns about access to healthcare:
"I think there should be greater investment in accessible mental health services and healthcare more generally, as young people do not always receive adequate support and we are seeing increasing pressure on the NHS, including patients being treated in hospital corridors."
And Freddie emphasised that public transport affordability matters beyond the journey to school:
"Public transport must be affordable and accessible to help get young people where they need to be without huge financial implications."
Understanding and influencing economic decisions
Beyond individual policy priorities, young people also raised questions about how economic decisions are communicated and whether they feel able to influence them.
Harriett reflected on the importance of making the Budget understandable to young people:
"Young people are often affected by the Budget without necessarily understanding what it means for them or feeling that they have a say in it."
"Economic policy can feel inaccessible, particularly when there is limited explanation of how decisions around taxation, public spending and investment will affect our everyday lives and future opportunities."
She also called for more meaningful opportunities for young people to contribute:
"There needs to be a greater effort to make the Budget understandable and relevant to young people, alongside more meaningful opportunities for us to contribute to the decisions that shape our futures."
"Ultimately, young people need more than to be consulted. We need to see that our experiences have been listened to and that our concerns are reflected in the policies being introduced."
Looking ahead to the Autumn Budget
These contributions reflect different experiences, priorities and ideas. Together, they show how decisions about housing, education, employment, transport and public services connect to young people's opportunities and independence.
Not every issue raised will be determined through the Autumn Budget alone. Some will depend on wider government policy, departmental spending decisions and local delivery.
But the perspectives shared here provide an important starting point for understanding what young people want decision-makers to consider.
As the Chancellor delivers the Autumn Budget, The Insight to Impact Collective will be examining what the announcements could mean for young people, including the priorities raised by members of The Current.