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High NEET levels continue, signalling urgent action needed on youth employment
Feb 26, 26
Latest official figures show that the number of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) is still notably high in the UK.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported around 957,000 young people were NEET in the last quarter of 2025, revealing that there has consistently been over 900,000 young people not earning or learning throughout the last 12 months.
These stubbornly high numbers highlight the urgent need for coordinated action to help more young people access education, training, and employment opportunities, based on the evidence of what works
Our Youth Employment 2025 Outlook report recommends that the UK set a ‘North Star’ target to reach the level of the OECD leader, the Netherlands, where just 1 in 20 young people are NEET compared to 1 in 8 in the UK. Reaching this goal could enable 567,000 more young people to be in work or education and generate £86 billion in long-term economic benefits.
“Today’s ONS figures show around 957,000 young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). The number remains persistently high, with little change over the past year where we have consistently seen over 900,000 young people out of work or learning in each quarter.
"Addressing the challenge is urgent, particularly against the backdrop of a weakened labour market, where employer hiring is slowing down and where we know young people are set to continue bearing the brunt of this challenge. Without dedicated and coordinated action, even more young people risk falling further from the labour market, increasing their likelihood of being long-term unemployed and suffering from scarring which can significantly impact their wellbeing, health and earning prospects throughout their life.
“The Government’s recent focus and investment to support more young people into work through the Youth Guarantee and apprenticeship reform is positive, but today’s stark figures continue to underline that more will be needed to meaningfully shift the dial for young people.
“The ongoing review into Young People and Work led by Alan Milburn presents an opportunity to build on this positive start with greater ambition and scale, backed by the evidence, to enable more young people to be in good work.”
Barry Fletcher, CEO at Youth Futures Foundation
