Almost a million young people still do not work or study, according to figures

Almost a million young people remain out of work, education and training, new data suggests.

The number of so-called NEETs (people aged between 16 and 24 who are unemployed or economically inactive in the United Kingdom) had fallen slightly to 946,000 between July and September, compared to 948,000 in the previous three months, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

This last figure is equivalent to one in eight young people.

Announcing a plan to help young people into paid work, education and apprenticeships, the government said NEET figures had been “too high for too long”.

The number of young NEETs has been consistently above 900,000 since the beginning of 2024 and reached an 11-year high of 987,000 earlier this year.

Youth who are not employed may be unemployed (meaning they are actively looking for work) or defined as economically inactive (meaning they are not looking for work).

The labor market is particularly challenging for young people: figures for 2025 show a decline in the number of vacancies and fewer people on payrolls.

The majority of young people (580,000) who are NEETs fall into the economically inactive category, compared to 366,000 who are unemployed.

The rise in long-term illnesses among young people has been a leading cause of economic inactivity over the past three years, according to research by the Youth Futures Foundation.

Nathan, 21, is currently a Neet and is on a six-week employability course in Leeds, run by The Spear Programme, a charity that supports young people across the country by providing training in communication and interview skills.

Working with the charity has helped him develop his confidence in job interviews, Nathan told the BBC.

“I have attended some interviews without knowing what to say,” he added.

“They [The Spear Programme] “It will help you build your confidence going into interviews, so you speak clearly and understand why you are there.”

About half of the charity’s referrals come from the employment office, and all young people on the course have at least three barriers to work, which could include having been in care, having fewer than five GCSEs or mental health problems.

Nathan was excluded from five schools as a child, but now wants to move on and build a future.

“You don’t realize that between the ages of 16 and 21 is when you have to start thinking about what you want to do with your life. School years matter,” he said.

Nathan’s dream is to open his own gym business and he wants a stable job to help him achieve it. Companies should do more to take risks on young people, he said.

Historically, more women than men have been NEETs, but in recent years that trend has reversed.

Between July and September 2025, an estimated 512,000 of all men aged 16 to 24 were NEETs, compared to 434,000 of young women.

In 2023, almost one in five (19.5%) young NEETs had a mental health problem, according to the Department for Education.

Megan Williams runs the Spear Program and has worked with Neets for 20 years. She says the charity is caring for a growing number of young people struggling with their mental health and isolation.

“Many of them have difficulty performing everyday tasks such as getting out of bed, washing and dressing,” he said.

“For many of them, getting involved with work and education feels very far away.”

But employers should take a chance on people with less work experience or qualifications because “there are young people who are really motivated and ready to work,” he said.

Responding to today’s figures, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said a planned “Youth Guarantee” scheme would ensure young people “have access to education, training, an apprenticeship or, ultimately, guaranteed paid work if they cannot find a job”.

McFadden said the government wanted to ensure “every young person has the opportunity to succeed, no matter where they are from or what their background is”.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to set out more details in the Budget about plans to offer a guaranteed job to young people who have been on Universal Credit for 18 months without “earning and learning”. Those who refuse to participate risk losing benefits.

Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn will lead an independent inquiry into the causes of the rise in youth inactivity, the Department for Work and Pensions recently announced, with a focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.

The highest quarterly total of NEETs was recorded between July and September 2011, when the number peaked at more than one million after the 2008 financial crisis.