Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) UK: November 2024

21 November 2024 – ONS

On 21 November the Office of National Statistics published stats on young people (aged 16-24) ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET). These statistics showed an increase in the NEET rate by 1.0%pts to 13.2% on the quarter, rising on the year by 0.9% points.

946,000 16-24 year-olds are NEET; up 74,000 on the quarter and up 76,000 on the year. Within the NEET figure, 395,000 were unemployed (41.7% of those who are NEET); up 62,000 on the quarter and up 86,000 on the year. The remaining 552,000 were economically inactive; up 12,000 on the quarter and down 11,000 on the year.

The latest NEET figures cover the same period (Jul-Sep 2024) as the young people in employment and education data published in last week’s LMS but are calculated in a slightly different way. Last week’s LMS release showed 1.21 million 16-24 year-olds were not in employment or full-time education (FTE). This is equivalent to 16.9% of the 16-24-year-old population. The NEET figures are lower because they exclude those in part-time education or training.

The statistics show an increase in the number of young people not in education, employment or training on the quarter of 74,000 due to higher unemployment. The increase on the year has also been driven by higher unemployment. The biggest quarterly increases in those who are NEET has been unemployed men aged 18 24. The percentage of 16-24s who are NEET remains slightly elevated by the standards of the last eight years.