A healthy foundation for the future The final report from the Young people's future health inquiry

The Young people’s future health inquiry is a two-year project which explored the influences affecting the future health of today’s young people, and what needs to change to secure a healthy society. 

While young people are preparing for adult life, they are also building the foundations for their future health. If they can secure the building blocks they need such as good quality work and housing, and build supportive relationships, then their prospects of a healthy adulthood are improved. 

This report explores:

• whether young people currently have the building blocks for a healthy future
• what support and opportunities young people need to secure these building blocks
• the main issues that young people face as they become adults
• what this means for their future health and what policy action is needed.

To address these questions, the inquiry was structured around a mixture of research and engagement, site visits and policy work, led by views and experiences of young people around the UK. The final report brings together all of the learnings from the inquiry, exploring the factors that are putting the UK’s 12-24 year-olds at risk of ill-health later in life, and introduces the policy analysis that has taken place.

Policy recommendations

Alongside the final report, the Health Foundation worked with nine expert partner organisations who have come together to recommend that young people’s needs are put at the centre of government policy making. Detailed policy reports will be published by the expert organisations from across different sectors, throughout autumn 2019.