Nearly one million young people not working or studying – where to get support

Almost a million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training. In the last three months of 2025, an estimated 957,000 people aged 16 to 24 were classed as NEET. That’s 12.8% of all young people in that age group. This number has risen slightly from the previous quarter.  

Many of those classed as NEET are actively looking for work. But, the UK is facing a weak jobs market, especially for young people looking for entry-level roles. Cuts in areas like hospitality and graduate schemes are making it harder for people starting out to find work.  

What does NEET mean? 

A young person is NEET if they are not working, not in education, and not doing any training. They may be: 

• Unemployed – looking for work and able to start soon, or 

• Economically inactive – not currently job‑hunting (this could be for health, caring responsibilities, or other reasons). 

They are not counted as NEET if they’re at school, college, university, doing an apprenticeship, or in any kind of paid job. 

What the latest figures show 

Here's what the actual breakdown looks like according to the latest stats released in February 2026.

Total number of NEET young people:

• 957,000 young people were NEET in Oct–Dec 2025, up from 946,000 in the previous quarter. 

• That’s 12.8% of people aged 16–24.  

By gender:

• 12.2% of young women were NEET, up from the previous quarter. 

• 13.3% of young men were NEET, slightly down on the quarter.

Unemployment vs. economic inactivity among NEETs  

The ONS splits NEETs into two groups: those unemployed and those economically inactive. 

Unemployed NEETs 

• 411,000 young people were unemployed NEETs in Oct–Dec 2025. 

• That’s up 45,000 from the previous quarter. 

This shows more young people are now actively looking for work but struggling to find jobs in a tough market. 

Economically inactive NEETs 

• 547,000 young people were economically inactive — meaning they weren’t working or job‑hunting. 

• This number fell by 34,000, suggesting more young people have started trying to find work.  

Why is this happening? 

Experts say several factors are making it harder for young people to enter the job market: 

• Fewer entry‑level roles as employers cut back on hiring 

• Higher wage costs and national insurance contributions for employers 

• Long‑term sickness and mental health issues affecting young people 

• Lower job vacancies overall, now at their lowest in five years 

These challenges mean many young people are stuck trying to get experience for jobs that often demand experience they don’t yet have. 

Help and support if you’re NEET 

If you’re 16–24 and not in work or education, there are programmes and support options available.  

• The Youth Guarantee launching in 2026 will give eligible young people on benefits who’ve been out of work or training for 18 months access to a guaranteed paid work placement, plus support to go into regular work.  

• You can use the gov.uk website to find apprenticeships in England; these are available to anyone who’s at least 16 and not in education currently.  

• You can do free training through the government’s Skills Bootcamps where you can develop the types of skills employers are looking for.  

These are just some of the options available to you. We’ve rounded up lots more resources in our article on what to do if you’re 16-24 and not in education or work.  

Key takeaways  

• 957,000 young people were NEET in Oct–Dec 2025, up from the previous quarter. 

• Unemployed NEETs increased by 45,000, showing more young people are job‑hunting in a tough market. 

• Economically inactive NEETs fell by 34,000, suggesting more are trying to re‑enter work. 

• Weak job market, fewer entry‑level roles, health issues and low vacancies are key pressures. 

• Support includes the Youth Guarantee, apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps and other training options.