Blackpool, USA News (Blackpool, England): Blackpool was once Britain’s most popular seaside destination, famed for its dazzling nightlife, iconic ballroom and Pleasure Beach amusement park. But after years of decline, the Lancashire seaside town is now increasingly known for its struggles with poverty. It has the highest number of people in their twenties and thirties claiming universal credit – the main jobseekers’ benefit – and life expectancy trails significantly below the England average. More than one in five youngsters in the town are classed as “not in education, employment or training” – or Neet – the highest rate of any urban area in England, according to research by the Centre for Cities.
Blackpool is now a “combination of a tourist economy and a welfare economy”, said Alun Francis, CEO of Blackpool and The Fylde College and outgoing chair of the Social Mobility Commission. As fewer people go there on holiday, old guest houses have turned into cheap rental properties which attract vulnerable families. Francis told The i Paper during a visit to Blackpool college that this is contributing to a generation of young people growing up with housing insecurity and poverty who are more likely to end up out of work and on benefits.
Labour grandee Alan Milburn is preparing to publish a landmark review to overhaul the welfare system to get young people off benefits and into work. It is understood to include an employment support package, but also potential cuts to eligibility of key benefits for young people and sanctions for those who do not accept help.
The Rise of Elective Home Education
There’s also another unexpected factor at play: home-schooling. Simon Hughes, executive principal of Blackpool and The Fylde College, said a “rapid rise” in mental health conditions among young people since the Covid-19 pandemic has left many “struggling to get into school”. He said parents may decide to pull their children out of school as they are unable to afford sanctions for missing lessons, or because they feel their child’s special educational needs are not being met. “For parents in that situation, a perceived easier route can be going down the elected home-education route,” he said.
Hughes noted that while this solves the “short-term problem”, it raises questions about the level of education young people are getting, sparks potential safeguarding issues and can worsen feelings of anxiety and isolation. “In many ways, you could see it as a downward spiral rather than a positive move with the elected home education,” he added.
The town has one of the highest rates of elective home education in England, with 3.1 children in every 100, according to data from the Department for Education (DfE). Just the Isle of Wight has a higher rate, at 4.1 per cent. The number of Blackpool children being home-educated has almost doubled from 350 (1.8 per cent) in the 2022-23 autumn term, to 620 (3.1 per cent) in the same period this academic year.
Student Experiences and Local Job Markets
Sienna, a 16-year-old student at Blackpool and The Fylde College, said she was home-educated after struggling with her mental health. “My mental health was so bad in high school. I had to see therapists and everything, and I’ve come to college and I’m fine. I love it,” she said. Sienna is now studying travel and tourism to become an air hostess and currently works in a restaurant. However, she noted the difficulty of finding local work: “It is really hard to find a job… and no one’s taking on 16-year-olds.”
Desire, another 16-year-old student studying travel and tourism, said she came to the college to complete her maths and English GCSEs as she was home-schooled for quite a while after struggling with her friendship group. She noted that while the college helps students find jobs, young people would benefit from more work experience opportunities.
Sue Crosbie, who works on the college’s transition team to support young people at risk of becoming Neet, said there has been a “big increase” in the number of home-educated pupils recently. Hughes added that pupils are often deregistered from school because sanctions for non-attendance topple up into unaffordable fines and even legal action.
Councillor Kath Benson, cabinet member for young people and aspiration on Blackpool Council, said the increase in home-education numbers has slowed and insisted only a “small proportion” are related to sanctions, with the majority leaving school due to dissatisfaction, mental health problems and unmet special educational needs. However, Benson added that she fears many are “not getting a suitable education at home”.
Future Plans and Socio-Economic Realities
Under Government plans expected next year, councils will be required to keep compulsory ‘children not in school’ registers, and additional checks will be carried out before vulnerable children can be taken out of school. Benson called for stronger laws to stop parents removing their children to be home-educated without a very good reason. Hughes said early interventions are needed from primary school to stop young people from becoming Neet, incorporating better mental health support, careers advice, real-world experience with employers, and a more vocational curriculum.
College staff and students defended their hometown, noting its successful tourist economy and ongoing local regeneration. Yet, Alun Francis emphasized that Blackpool’s socio-economic problems are partly imported as many settling in the town already struggle with challenges like addiction, family breakdown, or time in prison. Francis stated that the focus on getting people off benefits and into work should also be broadened to adults, especially lone parents, pointing out a direct correlation between low adult education levels and children’s outcomes. The DfE has been contacted for comment.
