This figure of 987,000 is equivalent to one in eight young people, a rise of over 100,000 in one year, and over 250,000 more young people than three years ago when we were emerging from the pandemic. What’s more, the data revealed that since 2021, NEET rates have risen consistently, with both unemployment and economic inactivity as the driving forces. This contrasts with the post-2008 trend in which unemployment increased dramatically while economic inactivity remained stable. The data also reveals half of the increase in economic inactivity over the past three years is due to ill health, with mental health being one of the most common health conditions driving this.
This makes for difficult reading but necessarily highlights the scale of a challenge which needs to be addressed in both an urgent and sustained way. We know that being out or work and education can have a long-term scarring effect on young people, impacting their wellbeing, future prospects and more. But aside from the moral imperative to act, there is a clear economic case; if we could match our Dutch neighbours who have a much lower NEET rate (one in 20 young people), we would get 500,000 more young people into work and boost our economy by £69bn. So, the prize for young people, society and our economy is worth our collective efforts.
Setting long-term ambition is something other countries have done who have been successful in reducing their youth NEET rates. Youth Futures has been working to set some world leading measures to drive the collective focus needed in the UK. The long-term goal we’d like to see adopted by policymakers is for us to have the highest participation rate overall in the OECD for young people by 2050.
We are delighted that this goal has gained interest and will now be the central focus of a new cross-party commission we are supporting. Co-chaired by Lauren Edwards MP, Josh Babarinde OBE MP, and Lord Shinkwin, ‘Earning or Learning: A New Agenda for Youth NEET Reduction’, run by Policy Connect, will examine the challenge our young people are facing and look to develop an ambitious policy agenda, considering areas like early intervention, employment support, apprenticeships and vocational training, and much more
The challenge is complex, and solutions are neither simple nor straightforward. However, by using the best evidence, bringing experts, employers and others together, and listening to the voices of young people, we can build a brighter future for young people across the country.
