THE amount of young people in the UK not in education, employment or training (NEET) is up to 12.8% as experts say it’s a “quiet epidemic”.
A total of 957,000 of those aged 16 to 24 years were classified as NEET in October to December 2025. This is up 0.1% compared with July to September 2025, and down 0.4% on the year, new data shows.
13.3% of young men (down 0.1% on the quarter) and 12.2% of young women (up 0.3% on the quarter) were NEET.
There were 957,000 young people who were NEET in total, an increase of 11,000 on the quarter. This increase was largely caused by young women, with an increase of 13,000 on the quarter, while young men saw a decrease of 2,000.
Of the total number of young people who were NEET, 510,000 were young men and 448,000 were young women.
Untapped potential is waiting for direction
Naina Clayton, Founder at Sandwoman Business Support, said the rising numbers of women NEET is worrying.
She added: “Having a teenage son, who has been desperately trying to get a part-time job with no luck, having no experience was the usual response. How are young people supposed to get experience if no one will take them on?
“I am not surprised at the numbers for NEET but am surprised that women NEETS is increasing. A reason could be young women are mothers from a young age, or carers for family members. Finding flexible job roles that pay adequately and allow the flexibility of school hours, GP appointments, specialist appointments is difficult and this could be preventing young women from entering the workforce.
“There is a need for adequate pay and flexibility due to caring responsibilities. Also, what training is available for the required work skills force? Attending college for courses that do not equip the young people to actually find jobs where their skills can be utilised is another reason for high NEET.”
Quiet epidemic
Colin Crooks MBE, CEO at Intentionality, said the UK economy will suffer.
He continued: “With nearly a million young people NEET, the economic cost to the UK is profound, but the human cost is greater still, and it demands a response equal to its scale. The answer isn’t simply generating more vacancies, it’s investing in businesses that have proven they can meet young people where they are, understand what holds them back, and tailor support to the individual.
“The rise in young women becoming NEET is a particular concern, and we need targeted investment in motivated, experienced employers concentrated in the areas of greatest need.”
Ken James, Director at London-based Contractor Mortgage Services, said this is nearly a million people who are “untapped potential”.
He added: “This is a leadership issue, not just an economic one. When nearly one in eight young people are disconnected from education or work, the issue isn’t just jobs, it’s direction. The years between 16 and 24 shape confidence, identity and earning potential.
“When young people fall out of education or employment, the impact builds fast. It leads to a loss of structure, declining self-belief, mental health strain, and long-term inactivity. This isn’t about creating more vacancies, it’s about clear pathways, mentorship, and visible role models. Young people need leadership that shows what’s possible.
“The rise among young women highlights deeper challenges. Many take on caring responsibilities, while high-earning sectors still lack visible female representation. This isn’t about capability, it’s about access, support and belief. We must shift the narrative from ‘disengaged youth’ to ‘under-led potential’ because that’s what this really is: untapped potential waiting for direction.”
The economic cost to the UK is profound
Tony Redondo, Founder at Newquay-based Cosmos Currency Exchange, said it is a “quiet epidemic”.
He continued: “This ‘quiet epidemic’ of 957,000 NEET individuals represents a generation sidelined by the law of unintended consequences. Rapid successive increases to the National Minimum Wage have narrowed the cost gap between entry-level youth and experienced staff, inadvertently pricing young workers out of the market.
“This ‘tsunami’ is fast approaching the symbolic one-million mark, threatening to leave nearly an eighth of the 16-to-24 demographic on the economic scrapheap. The fallout is both fiscal and human. Economically, the UK loses an estimated £20bn to £26bn annually in productivity and tax revenue.
“Individually, those stuck outside the system face a permanent ‘scarring effect’ – a trajectory of lower lifetime earnings and chronic benefit dependency. This systemic drain on human capital deepens regional inequality, creating a ‘postcode lottery’ of talent that stifles social mobility and long-term national growth.”
Photo by Bernd Dittrich on Unsplash.
