Factsheets, presentations and slides, Summaries
Nov 2025
The £86bn opportunity
If the UK could reduce NEET levels from 1 in 8 to 1 in 20 young people the economic and social gains would be substantial.
Summary
In the UK:
- A staggering 1 in 8 young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET).
- More than 1 in 3 unemployed young people have been looking for work for over six months.
Helping these young people reach their full potential isn’t just right for them. It benefits us all. And there are lessons to be learned from other OECD countries.
If the UK could reduce NEET levels to match the Netherlands – where just 1 in 20 young people are NEET – the economic and social gains would be substantial.
It would mean 567,000 more young people in work or education.
And it could add £86bn to our economy over the long-term.
For more information on how these figures were calculated – and insights on how we achieve this vision – explore our Youth Employment 2025 Outlook report and related publications below.
Explore the case study
More about the programme
Check out more of what we’ve acheived with What works in reducing NEET rates: an international comparative study
What works in reducing NEET rates: an international comparative study
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