The work and pensions secretary has backed the idea that the government should legally guarantee young people help to get into employment.
Pat McFadden told the BBC that job support should be given a "legislative underpinning", adding the level of assistance on offer was currently "vague".
It comes ahead of a long-awaited review - set to be published on Tuesday - by former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn, which will say that under-25s should be guaranteed job placements or training to help them find permanent work.
Milburn is also expected to recommend that some young people should see their entitlement to claim benefits reduced, to free up funding for the new system.
Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Milburn said he wanted a major shift in the ratio of spending on benefits versus employment support.
He has previously put this figure at about £25 is spent on benefits verses every £1 spent on employment support - a ratio he said he wants to see move to £2 to £1.
He added that there should be a new "duty on government" to provide young people with opportunities including apprenticeships, college places, job coaching, or a job.
This should be accompanied, he added, by "more obligations on their part to take up that opportunity".
