Three friends, all 17, are talking about their futures.
Scroll to listen inWho are NEET young people?
s teenagers, we all imagine what our lives might turn out to be. But over the next year or so, these young people will have to turn their ambitions into real, actionable steps—whether that means getting a job or continuing their education.
However, over the last few years, more and more young people have struggled with the transition into the world of work.
These young people are often referred to as NEET—short for “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.”
The national NEET trend
In the United Kingdom, the NEET rate — the percentage of 18-24 year-olds who are NEET — fell through the 2010s. But by the start of 2026, it had climbed to 15.8%, its highest level since 2014.
When young people become NEET, it can have a long-term impact on things like their mental health, how much money they earn, and even their likelihood of experiencing the criminal justice system.
But right now, they're just trying to relax.
How risk factors compound
Three semicircular gauges, one above each teenager, show how their estimated risk of being NEET — not in employment, education or training — changes as characteristics like disadvantage, disability, and qualifications stack up. The exact percentage for each teenager at every step is given in the story text that follows.
Uni student
Apprentice data technician
NEET
It’s one year later. Now these friends are 18 years old. One is in education, one is working. The other is doing neither; they are NEET. For a long time we’ve tried to understand what characteristics are associated with a higher risk of being NEET.
For example, growing up in a socioeconomically disadvantaged household (i.e. those who qualified for free school meals in Year 11) is associated with a higher likelihood of being NEET.
We analysed these factors using a government dataset (Longitudinal Education Outcomes or “LEO”) that has tracked the trajectories of about four million young people aged 18 to 24. We found that certain characteristics, like having a disability, are associated with higher NEET rates.
When we combined characteristics in our analysis, we saw that some combinations are associated with far higher NEET rates than any single characteristic. For example, if we add the ethnic background of a young person to this analysis, we get a more granular picture.
And if we add qualification levels, we see NEET rates diverge even further.
NEET rates across England
Less affluent regions tend to have significantly higher NEET rates than those with higher average socioeconomic status. Before we keep going, do you want to focus on all of England, or a specific area?
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Crowds of small person icons represent young people aged 18 to 24 in the selected area, arranged in groups; orange icons mark those who are NEET — not in employment, education or training. Each group is labelled with its percentage on screen, and the percentages and comparisons are also given in the story text.
These young people on the screen represent all 18 to 24 year olds in England, as of 2019.
We can divide them into whether they are from a disadvantaged background, as measured by whether they qualified for free school meals. In England, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have a higher NEET rate than non-disadvantaged young people.
Now if we split up this group by their gender, we can see how these combined factors are associated with NEET rates in England. In England, young men from disadvantaged backgrounds have the highest NEET rate of these groups.
And we can see the further compounding effects of these characteristics when we divide the young people into their qualification levels. In England, young women from disadvantaged backgrounds with low qualifications have the highest NEET rate of these groups.
Instead of looking at the gender divide, we can look at whether a young person has special educational needs or disabilities. In England, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with a disability have the highest NEET rate of these groups.
The long-term impact of being NEET
The television shows a map of England highlighting the selected area, beside a card listing that area's NEET rate for 2019, its estimated rate for 2026, its rank, and its highest-rate group. The same figures, for any area, are available in the data dashboard after this section.
What if I'm just not good enough…
The journey from adolescence to the working world can be winding and uncertain. Young peoples’ backgrounds influence their paths in hidden and unexpected ways, from the obstacles they face to the resources they have to overcome them.
There are lots of misconceptions out there about why increasing numbers of young people are NEET.
When our plans don’t work out, and we’re not sure how to get back on track, we can feel lost. In that quiet limbo of neither working nor going to school, we start wondering if the person we thought we’d end up being was just a fantasy.
Understanding which young people are at the highest risk of being NEET can unlock a conversation about the different barriers young people face, and the different support they might need to thrive.
This knowledge helps policymakers understand what’s happening in their area, so they can provide targeted support to young people. This can result in well-evidenced programmes delivered by organisations like Spear and Generation UK.
Just as importantly, this research helps us tell our own stories and understand the stories of others. Seeing ourselves and each other reflected in the data builds a fuller, more honest picture of what young people are up against, and where change is needed most.
Data Exploration Dashboard
Last updated August 2026
Toggle to crosstab view to break down the data by different characteristics, and to download charts and data.
Percentage of 18-24 year olds not in employment, education or training