There has been a rise in recent months in the number of young people in the UK not in education, employment or training (Neets).
There were 948,000 young people who were Neet in total between April and June 2025, an increase of 24,000 on the quarter. The Office for National Statistics said the rise was driven by young women, with an increase of 25,000 on the quarter, while young men saw a decrease of 1,000, but it emphasised that the figures may not be entirely accurate given the “increased volatility of Labour Force Survey estimates”.
In percentage terms, an estimated 12.8% of all people aged 16 to 24 years in the UK were not in education, employment or training in April to June. This is up 0.3 percentage points compared with January to March 2025 and up 0.1pp on the year.
An estimated 13.1% of young men (down 0.1pp on the quarter) and 12.4% of young women (up 0.7pp on the quarter) were Neet.
The figures will be viewed as particularly disappointing because there had been signs of improvement. In January to March, there were 923,000 Neets, a decrease from the 930,000 recorded in early 2024, and a 0.9 percentage point decrease on the previous quarter.
Jacqueline Hall, head of apprenticeships and skills at BAE Systems, said the figures should not distract from efforts to draw more young people into skilled roles. She said: “The latest ONS data is an important reminder that young people are experiencing exceptionally challenging conditions as they take the first steps in their careers. As thousands of young people across the UK receive their GCSE results today, an onus remains on employers to help promote social mobility and create pathways into long-term employment.
“Initiatives like Movement to Work, which has helped BAE Systems facilitate over 950 completed work placements with more than 600 of them achieving employment with us or other companies, show the potential for employers to make a positive impact on young people. We must remain committed to furthering these efforts, considering wider labour market contractions.
“Apprenticeships continue to play a key role in driving positive change, especially for those furthest from the job market. As the workforce continues to face challenges such as new technologies and economic headwinds, increasing the variety of opportunities available will prove invaluable over the long term – for businesses and young people alike.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak called the figures a reminder of “another toxic Tory legacy this government has to fix”.
He added: “Under the Conservatives, too many were failed with hundreds of thousands of young people stuck out of work, education or training. This has damaging consequences for young people’s prospects – and for the country as a whole too.
“With the youth guarantee, stronger employment rights, an industrial strategy and apprenticeship reforms, the government has made a positive start in turning this around.
“It’s now vital this translates to a comprehensive, coordinated plan to ensure all young people across the country can access high-quality training and decent, well-paid work as well as timely and effective healthcare.
“Getting more young people back into work and education must be a central plank of the government’s growth mission.”
The government’s Youth Guarantee scheme is part of the mix of measures designed to reduce the number of Neets and has been extended, the government announced today, by another year. It is designed to ensure that 18- to 21-year-olds in England have access to an apprenticeship, quality training and education opportunities, and was introduced as part of the Get Britain Working white paper published last November.
Lizzie Crowley, senior skills adviser at the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, said she welcomed the extension, “but bolder action is required”.
She added: “The latest Neet figures show no improvement, with stubbornly high numbers persisting. The government should urgently revisit the case for an apprenticeship guarantee, ensuring every young person has a clear pathway into a high quality, employer-backed apprenticeship opportunity.
“The case for stronger action to support the training and employment of young people is further underlined in light of measures to be introduced in the Employment Rights Bill, which could mean employers are less likely to take a chance on young workers with limited experience and more development needs.”
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