UK Youth NEET Numbers Fall Below 1 Million in Second Quarter of 2026

The number of young people in the UK who are not employed, in education or receiving training fell below one million during the second quarter of 2026, according to official figures. The decline followed a rise in the first quarter, when the number reached its highest level since 2013.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were classified as NEET between April and June, compared with 1.011 million in the previous quarter. The share of this age group fell from 13.5% to 13.0%.

Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden said the figures reinforced the need to make youth inactivity a priority and pointed to new work-experience placements aimed at people who have been unemployed for a long period.

The government has also previously indicated that increases to the minimum wage for workers aged 18 to 20 could be limited.

A report published in May by former minister Alan Milburn warned that the UK could face a "lost generation" of young people outside employment or education, with NEETs potentially accounting for one in six people in the age group within five years.

The report attributed part of the problem to the welfare system while also pointing to a decline in low- and medium-skilled entry-level positions, including part-time Saturday jobs for schoolchildren.

Despite the quarterly decline, the latest figures showed that the number of young people classified as NEET was still 30,000 higher than a year earlier.

Research from Lancaster University's Work Foundation found that nearly half of medium-sized and larger companies had fewer vacancies for young people than they did a year earlier. The survey cited increased use of artificial intelligence and automation as one factor.

The Confederation of British Industry said higher employment taxes had also reduced companies' overall willingness to hire, although some younger workers are exempt.