Young people not in education, employment or training drops by 30,000
The number of young people not in education, employment, or training has fallen by 30,000, new figures have shown, reports BritPanorama.
The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) data indicates that the proportion of all young people in the UK classified as NEET (not in education, employment, or training) in April to June 2026 was 13.0 per cent, a decrease of 0.5 per cent from January to March 2026.
Despite this decline from more than a million earlier in the year, there are still 981,000 young individuals outside of education, employment, or training, marking a 30,000 increase compared to a year ago.
The Institute for Public Policy Research stated that these figures confirm that “too many young people are still struggling to get a first foothold in work.”
As the crisis deepens, the government is facing mounting pressure to address the issue of youth unemployment, particularly among 16- to 24-year-olds. Work and pensions secretary Pat McFadden expressed the government’s determination to tackle the youth unemployment crisis, acknowledging it has been “years in the making.”
McFadden remarked, “These latest figures underline why we are addressing youth inactivity as a priority.” He noted that the Jobs Guarantee scheme is currently aiding the most vulnerable, with the first beneficiaries now entering employment. A broader £2.5 billion investment aims to create nearly one million opportunities for young people to earn or learn.
The release of these figures precedes key recommendations from the forthcoming Milburn Review, which is set to provide a comprehensive analysis of youth employment and is anticipated in the autumn. In May, this review highlighted that the youth unemployment crisis costs Britain approximately £125 billion annually, exceeding the country’s education expenditure and almost doubling the national defense budget.
Without decisive action, the Milburn Review warned that the NEET figure could escalate from one in eight young people to one in six by 2031, affecting around 1.25 million youth.
Milburn countered prevailing stereotypes that young individuals are not making efforts to secure employment, stating, “The story of not trying, being soft, being a snowflake generation – I just don’t buy it.” He emphasized instead that systemic issues are at play, asserting, “For too many young people, opportunities are not growing – they’re shrinking.”
Henry Parkes, principal economist at IPPR, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that geographical disparities severely limit job opportunities for young people. He stated, “Where you live can make a huge difference to your chances, and in too many parts of the country there simply aren’t enough suitable first jobs to go around.”
Parkes urged for the Milburn Review to align support with opportunity, calling for the creation of thousands of paid first jobs in areas that need them most, alongside increasing apprenticeships and providing personalized support for young people. He argued that every young person deserves a clear pathway into work and adulthood, regardless of their background.
The government previously stated its commitment to realizing the potential of young people throughout the UK, citing a £2.5 billion youth employment support package that includes a new apprenticeship bursary aimed at families on universal credit.
In a significant move just days into his premiership, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans for a major overhaul of England’s education system, aiming to mitigate youth unemployment while furthering the devolution agenda. He directed schools to align their curriculums with local business needs by establishing new “prestigious” technical education routes.
Historical data from the ONS shows that NEET rates peaked at 1.25 million in July to September 2011, translating to about one in six (16.9 per cent) of all young people aged 16 to 24, following the financial crisis. The figures began to decline after 2011, returning to pre-recession levels by 2014 and reaching approximately 750,000 by late 2019.
This downward trend reversed during the Covid-19 pandemic, where NEET numbers fluctuated around 700,000 to 800,000 without a clear trajectory until early 2022. The figure steadily increased post-pandemic, buoyed by the onset of the cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation. By January to March 2024, the NEET rate was around one in eight (12.9 per cent) and had climbed to nearly one in seven (13.5 per cent) in early 2026.
Challenges remain substantial, and the urgency for effective solutions continues to grow as young people navigate their uncertain futures.
