There were 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 not in employment, education or training between April and June, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Figures published earlier in the year showed the number had previously topped one million, as an independent review warned of "a lost generation" of young people, unless urgent action is taken to support them. A young person is considered Neet if they are not in education, employment or training.
To be considered Neet, a person must be aged 16 to 24 and: economically inactive - not actively looking for work and not waiting to start a job, or caring for family not in formal education, such as school or university, or on a vocational course not participating in any training schemes, such as apprenticeships or internships Want your job application to stand out? Employers say they look for these six skills Opportunities shrinking for too many young people, says major report on 'lost generation' There were 981,000 Neets between April and June, the ONS says, an increase of about 3% on the same period in 2025. The numbers are published every three months and vary throughout the year, but have been steadily increasing over time.
The latest figures account for 13% - over one in eight - of all young people in the UK. There were more Neets classed as not looking or available for work than there were hunting for jobs. The number of economically inactive young people was 588,000.
This group includes 310,000 women and 278,000 men. The ONS estimates that 393,000 16- to 24-year-olds were unemployed and looking for work. There were more unemployed young men than young women - 252,000 men compared with 141,000 women.
An estimated one in 10 young people who are Neet are graduates. However, those who have not achieved GCSE-level qualification are more likely to remain Neet for longer periods, according to the Youth Futures Foundation, an organisation which aims to ensure young people can find work. It said those living in poverty, or with special educational needs, are also more likely to be Neet.
The ONS releases figures on the number of Neets in the UK every three months. It produces its estimates from its Labour Force Survey. Fewer people have responded to the survey in recent years, which makes the results more volatile than in the past.
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