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Jobs & pay · Young people · UK · April to June 2026

Young people: what stands between them and work or learning?

981,000 16–24-year-olds were outside work, education and training in April to June 2026. Most — 588,000 — were economically inactive: not seeking work or not available to start. The youth unemployment rate (16.4%, May–Jul 2026) measures something else: jobseekers among young people in or looking for work, including students.

Evidence last reviewed 3 October 2026

How many young people are NEET

ONS counts someone as NEET if they are aged 16–24, not in any education or training, and not in work. On that measure 981,000 young people in the UK — 13.0% of all 16–24-year-olds — were NEET in April to June 2026, with a 95% interval of about ±67,000 people. NEET says what someone is not doing; it does not say why, and it does not establish anyone’s motivation.

How many young people are outside work, education or training?

981,000 young people are missing out on work and learning

Young people aged 16–24 not in education, employment or training, as a percentage of ALL people aged 16–24, UK, seasonally adjusted, quarterly, Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026. The latest count is printed beside the end of the line.

United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 (quarterly)

1996–2026 displayed window · observations only. Shading marks years outside the displayed record.

Per cent of all people aged 16–24No observations shown10%15%axis does not start at 020002010202013.0%
The share of young people outside work, education and training fell through the 2010s and reached a low of 9.7% in April to June 2021. It has risen since to 13.0% — back to around its 2014 level, but below the 16.9% reached after the financial crisis. The rise is real but small quarter to quarter: the survey's 95% interval is about ±0.9 points, so focus on the multi-year direction, not single quarters.

United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 (quarterly) · Official statistics, Labour Force Survey. Latest quarter ±0.9 points (95% interval, ONS Table NEET 2).

Sources, definitions and data — 981,000 young people are missing out on work and learning
Geography:
United Kingdom — All people aged 16–24 (the denominator includes students and workers)
Measure:
Per cent of all people aged 16–24
Period:
Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 (quarterly)
Status:
Official statistics, Labour Force Survey. Latest quarter ±0.9 points (95% interval, ONS Table NEET 2).
Calculation:
As published (Table 1, people, seasonally adjusted). Rate to one decimal place.
Compare with:
The Jul–Sep 2011 peak (16.9%) and the Apr–Jun 2021 low (9.7%)
Not included / breaks:
ONS reweighted the survey from January–March 2019, causing a step change, so the line is broken there; compare levels either side with care. Mid-2023 and 2024 estimates remain volatile. NEET is not a narrower unemployment rate: it uses all young people as the denominator, and most NEET young people are not unemployed but economically inactive.

Source: ONS, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK, Table 1 (seasonally adjusted) (released 27 August 2026). Chart WORK-01.

View the data as a table
QuarterNEET rate (%)NEET (thousands)
Oct–Dec 200112.9833
Jan–Mar 200213.3859
Apr–Jun 200213.4873
Jul–Sep 200213.3873
Oct–Dec 200212.7836
Jan–Mar 200313.5893
Apr–Jun 200313.4891
Jul–Sep 200313.1877
Oct–Dec 200312.6847
Jan–Mar 200412.4836
Apr–Jun 200412.9879
Jul–Sep 200413.4918
Oct–Dec 200413.4922
Jan–Mar 200513.4925
Apr–Jun 200513.7947
Jul–Sep 200513.5935
Oct–Dec 200514.41,003
Jan–Mar 200614.1984
Apr–Jun 200614.61,022
Jul–Sep 200614.31,006
Oct–Dec 200613.8979
Jan–Mar 200714.11,000
Apr–Jun 200714.11,004
Jul–Sep 200713.7983
Oct–Dec 200713.4965
Jan–Mar 200813.4966
Apr–Jun 200813.8998
Jul–Sep 200814.31,034
Oct–Dec 200814.21,025
Jan–Mar 200915.11,097
Apr–Jun 200915.61,128
Jul–Sep 200915.41,122
Oct–Dec 200914.91,083
Jan–Mar 201015.51,128
Apr–Jun 201014.71,074
Jul–Sep 201015.31,120
Oct–Dec 201015.91,164
Jan–Mar 201115.31,125
Apr–Jun 201115.81,164
Jul–Sep 201116.91,246
Oct–Dec 201116.51,212
Jan–Mar 201216.21,193
Apr–Jun 201216.21,192
Jul–Sep 201215.01,104
Oct–Dec 201214.81,084
Jan–Mar 201315.01,100
Apr–Jun 201314.91,089
Jul–Sep 201314.91,092
Oct–Dec 201314.21,038
Jan–Mar 201413.4979
Apr–Jun 201413.2963
Jul–Sep 201413.3967
Oct–Dec 201413.3971
Jan–Mar 201512.8934
Apr–Jun 201512.7919
Jul–Sep 201511.8856
Oct–Dec 201511.9858
Jan–Mar 201612.0866
Apr–Jun 201611.7844
Jul–Sep 201612.0860
Oct–Dec 201611.5822
Jan–Mar 201711.2795
Apr–Jun 201711.2791
Jul–Sep 201711.3796
Oct–Dec 201711.3793
Jan–Mar 201811.4798
Apr–Jun 201811.1778
Jul–Sep 201810.9758
Oct–Dec 201811.3789
Jan–Mar 201911.2782
Apr–Jun 201911.5808
Jul–Sep 201911.5806
Oct–Dec 201910.8750
Jan–Mar 202011.4797
Apr–Jun 202011.6808
Jul–Sep 202011.2777
Oct–Dec 202011.8818
Jan–Mar 202110.7745
Apr–Jun 20219.7675
Jul–Sep 202110.2708
Oct–Dec 202110.3724
Jan–Mar 202210.6743
Apr–Jun 202210.5742
Jul–Sep 202210.4734
Oct–Dec 202211.9842
Jan–Mar 202311.6826
Apr–Jun 202311.7839
Jul–Sep 202311.9855
Oct–Dec 202312.1876
Jan–Mar 202412.9936
Apr–Jun 202412.6920
Jul–Sep 202412.9950
Oct–Dec 202413.3981
Jan–Mar 202512.3912
Apr–Jun 202512.8951
Jul–Sep 202512.6943
Oct–Dec 202512.8958
Jan–Mar 202613.51,011
Apr–Jun 202613.0981

Are NEET young people looking for work?

Most NEET young people are economically inactive rather than unemployed: 588,000 inactive, 393,000 unemployed

NEET young people aged 16–24 by labour-market status, UK, thousands, seasonally adjusted, quarterly, Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026. The two lines add up to the NEET total.

United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026

1996–2026 displayed window · observations only. Shading marks years outside the displayed record.

Thousands of young peopleNo observations shown0k200k400k600k800k200020102020588k393k
Around the financial crisis more NEET young people were unemployed than inactive; since 2014 inactivity has been the larger group. Over the past year the unemployed group rose by about 26,000 and the inactive group was little changed. That matters for policy: job-search support reaches the first group; the second needs health, caring or education routes back.

United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 · Official statistics; the unemployed NEET estimate is about ±44,000 and the inactive estimate ±54,000 in the latest quarter (95%)

Sources, definitions and data — Most NEET young people are economically inactive rather than unemployed: 588,000 inactive, 393,000 unemployed
Geography:
United Kingdom — Young people aged 16–24 who are NEET
Measure:
Thousands of people
Period:
Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026
Status:
Official statistics; the unemployed NEET estimate is about ±44,000 and the inactive estimate ±54,000 in the latest quarter (95%)
Calculation:
As published (Table 1, columns 2 and 3). The published categories reconcile with the total to rounding.
Compare with:
A year earlier: 584,000 inactive, 367,000 unemployed
Not included / breaks:
Break at January–March 2019 (survey reweighting). Economic inactivity covers very different situations — illness or disability, caring, waiting to start a course — which the NEET table does not separate.

Source: ONS, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK, Table 1 (seasonally adjusted) (released 27 August 2026). Chart WORK-03.

View the data as a table
QuarterUnemployed (thousands)Inactive (thousands)
Oct–Dec 2001373460
Jan–Mar 2002374485
Apr–Jun 2002368505
Jul–Sep 2002361512
Oct–Dec 2002354482
Jan–Mar 2003384510
Apr–Jun 2003361530
Jul–Sep 2003355523
Oct–Dec 2003339508
Jan–Mar 2004338497
Apr–Jun 2004357522
Jul–Sep 2004381537
Oct–Dec 2004390532
Jan–Mar 2005379546
Apr–Jun 2005390557
Jul–Sep 2005399536
Oct–Dec 2005431573
Jan–Mar 2006404581
Apr–Jun 2006449573
Jul–Sep 2006446560
Oct–Dec 2006415564
Jan–Mar 2007443558
Apr–Jun 2007439565
Jul–Sep 2007413570
Oct–Dec 2007414551
Jan–Mar 2008415551
Apr–Jun 2008433565
Jul–Sep 2008470563
Oct–Dec 2008506519
Jan–Mar 2009561535
Apr–Jun 2009573554
Jul–Sep 2009565557
Oct–Dec 2009543540
Jan–Mar 2010567561
Apr–Jun 2010540534
Jul–Sep 2010565555
Oct–Dec 2010591573
Jan–Mar 2011579546
Apr–Jun 2011614550
Jul–Sep 2011686560
Oct–Dec 2011668545
Jan–Mar 2012646548
Apr–Jun 2012642550
Jul–Sep 2012571532
Oct–Dec 2012571513
Jan–Mar 2013586514
Apr–Jun 2013586503
Jul–Sep 2013604489
Oct–Dec 2013571467
Jan–Mar 2014507472
Apr–Jun 2014455508
Jul–Sep 2014459509
Oct–Dec 2014459513
Jan–Mar 2015429505
Apr–Jun 2015421498
Jul–Sep 2015380476
Oct–Dec 2015364494
Jan–Mar 2016382484
Apr–Jun 2016383461
Jul–Sep 2016373487
Oct–Dec 2016339484
Jan–Mar 2017328468
Apr–Jun 2017324467
Jul–Sep 2017305491
Oct–Dec 2017325468
Jan–Mar 2018315483
Apr–Jun 2018290488
Jul–Sep 2018284474
Oct–Dec 2018315474
Jan–Mar 2019296486
Apr–Jun 2019336472
Jul–Sep 2019327479
Oct–Dec 2019296454
Jan–Mar 2020323474
Apr–Jun 2020299508
Jul–Sep 2020352424
Oct–Dec 2020355464
Jan–Mar 2021319426
Apr–Jun 2021286389
Jul–Sep 2021282427
Oct–Dec 2021267457
Jan–Mar 2022258485
Apr–Jun 2022239503
Jul–Sep 2022242492
Oct–Dec 2022323519
Jan–Mar 2023317509
Apr–Jun 2023334505
Jul–Sep 2023308547
Oct–Dec 2023309567
Jan–Mar 2024340596
Apr–Jun 2024342578
Jul–Sep 2024400550
Oct–Dec 2024389592
Jan–Mar 2025353559
Apr–Jun 2025367584
Jul–Sep 2025368574
Oct–Dec 2025406552
Jan–Mar 2026395616
Apr–Jun 2026393588

Who is most likely to miss out on work and learning?

15.2% of 18–24-year-olds are outside work and learning

NEET rate by age group and sex, UK, April to June 2026 (filled dot) and a year earlier (open dot). Each group's own population is the denominator.

United Kingdom · Apr–Jun 2026 and a year earlier
Apr–Jun 2026A year earlierAll 16–24, 13.0%
  • Aged 18–2415.2%
  • Young men, 16–2413.7%
  • All aged 16–2413.0%
  • Young women, 16–2412.3%
  • Aged 16–175.3%
The risk sits overwhelmingly with 18–24-year-olds, after compulsory education or training ends in England. Young men are more likely than young women to be NEET, and most NEET young people are economically inactive rather than unemployed: 588,000 are economically inactive and 393,000 unemployed. These are survey estimates: a confidence interval around one level does not show whether a change between two periods is significant, so small year-to-year movements should not be read as real changes. The multi-year pattern is the more reliable signal.

United Kingdom · Apr–Jun 2026 and a year earlier · Official statistics; 95% intervals in this quarter are about ±1.1 points for 16–17 and for 18–24, ±0.9 for all 16–24

Sources, definitions and data — 15.2% of 18–24-year-olds are outside work and learning
Geography:
United Kingdom
Measure:
Per cent of each group
Period:
Apr–Jun 2026 and a year earlier
Status:
Official statistics; 95% intervals in this quarter are about ±1.1 points for 16–17 and for 18–24, ±0.9 for all 16–24
Calculation:
As published (Table 1: people, men and women, seasonally adjusted).
Compare with:
All 16–24-year-olds, 13.0%
Not included / breaks:
ONS does not publish NEET estimates below UK level. The 16–17 rate is low partly because young people in England must stay in education or training until 18.

Source: ONS, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK, Table 1 (seasonally adjusted) (released 27 August 2026). Chart WORK-04.

View the data as a table
GroupApr–Jun 2026Year earlier
Aged 18–2415.215.1
Young men, 16–2413.713.3
All aged 16–2413.012.8
Young women, 16–2412.312.3
Aged 16–175.34.5

Youth unemployment: a different question

The youth unemployment rate asks: of 16–24-year-olds who are working or looking for work, what share are looking and cannot find a job? It leaves out everyone not in the labour market — including most NEET young people — and includes full-time students looking for part-time work. It is therefore not a wider or narrower version of NEET; the two have different denominators and answer different questions.

One source is used throughout: ONS series MGWY, which also appears in Table A06 SA. In April to June 2026, the same quarter as the NEET estimate above, it was 16.2%; the latest window, May to July 2026, is 16.4%.

How many young people who want work cannot find it?

Youth unemployment is 16.4%, up 2.1 percentage points on a year earlier

Unemployed people as a percentage of the economically active (working or looking for work), aged 16–24 and aged 16 and over, UK, seasonally adjusted, rolling three-month estimates, 2000 to May–Jul 2026.

United Kingdom · 2000 to May–Jul 2026

1996–2026 displayed window · observations only. Shading marks years outside the displayed record.

Per cent of the economically activeNo observations shown0%10%20%20002010202016.4%4.9%
Youth unemployment fell to 9.3% in May to July 2022 and has risen since to 16.4%, a sharper rise than the overall rate's. It is always higher than the overall rate, partly because young people move between jobs and education more often and students looking for part-time work are included. In April to June 2026 — the same quarter as the latest NEET estimate — it was 16.2%.

United Kingdom · 2000 to May–Jul 2026 · Official statistics, Labour Force Survey

Sources, definitions and data — Youth unemployment is 16.4%, up 2.1 percentage points on a year earlier
Geography:
United Kingdom — Economically active people (the denominator excludes those neither working nor looking)
Measure:
Per cent of the economically active
Period:
2000 to May–Jul 2026
Status:
Official statistics, Labour Force Survey
Calculation:
As published (MGWY, MGSX). Each three-month window is plotted at its final month and labelled by its full window; see the method note on window labels.
Compare with:
Low since 2015: 9.3% in May–Jul 2022; high 22.5% in Sep–Nov 2011
Not included / breaks:
Full-time students who are looking for part-time work and available to start count as unemployed. The two lines share a definition but not a population; do not read the gap as a count of people.

Source: ONS, Labour Force Survey: unemployment rate 16+ (MGSX) and 16–24 (MGWY), MGSX, MGWY; MGWY is also published in Table A06 SA (released 15 September 2026). Chart WORK-02a.

View the data as a table
Three months to16–24 (%)16+ (%)
Nov–Jan 200012.65.9
Dec–Feb 200012.75.8
Jan–Mar 200012.95.8
Feb–Apr 200012.95.7
Mar–May 200012.85.6
Apr–Jun 200012.35.5
May–Jul 200011.95.3
Jun–Aug 200011.95.3
Jul–Sep 200012.15.3
Aug–Oct 200012.55.4
Sep–Nov 200012.45.3
Oct–Dec 200012.35.2
Nov–Jan 200112.05.2
Dec–Feb 200112.35.2
Jan–Mar 200112.05.1
Feb–Apr 200111.85.0
Mar–May 200111.64.9
Apr–Jun 200111.75.0
May–Jul 200111.75.0
Jun–Aug 200111.95.1
Jul–Sep 200111.95.1
Aug–Oct 200112.15.1
Sep–Nov 200112.25.1
Oct–Dec 200112.45.2
Nov–Jan 200212.25.2
Dec–Feb 200212.15.1
Jan–Mar 200212.35.2
Feb–Apr 200212.15.2
Mar–May 200212.15.2
Apr–Jun 200211.95.2
May–Jul 200212.15.2
Jun–Aug 200212.25.2
Jul–Sep 200212.25.3
Aug–Oct 200212.05.2
Sep–Nov 200212.35.2
Oct–Dec 200212.35.1
Nov–Jan 200312.15.0
Dec–Feb 200312.55.1
Jan–Mar 200312.85.2
Feb–Apr 200312.75.1
Mar–May 200312.55.0
Apr–Jun 200312.44.9
May–Jul 200312.75.1
Jun–Aug 200312.75.1
Jul–Sep 200312.45.0
Aug–Oct 200312.15.0
Sep–Nov 200311.84.9
Oct–Dec 200311.84.9
Nov–Jan 200411.84.8
Dec–Feb 200411.94.8
Jan–Mar 200412.14.8
Feb–Apr 200412.24.8
Mar–May 200411.94.8
Apr–Jun 200412.14.8
May–Jul 200412.24.8
Jun–Aug 200412.24.7
Jul–Sep 200412.44.7
Aug–Oct 200412.24.7
Sep–Nov 200412.34.7
Oct–Dec 200412.54.7
Nov–Jan 200512.54.7
Dec–Feb 200512.74.8
Jan–Mar 200512.34.7
Feb–Apr 200512.44.7
Mar–May 200512.74.8
Apr–Jun 200512.84.8
May–Jul 200512.54.7
Jun–Aug 200512.64.7
Jul–Sep 200512.74.7
Aug–Oct 200513.64.9
Sep–Nov 200513.65.1
Oct–Dec 200513.95.1
Nov–Jan 200613.65.1
Dec–Feb 200613.75.2
Jan–Mar 200613.65.2
Feb–Apr 200613.95.3
Mar–May 200614.15.4
Apr–Jun 200614.35.5
May–Jul 200614.55.5
Jun–Aug 200614.15.5
Jul–Sep 200614.35.5
Aug–Oct 200614.15.5
Sep–Nov 200613.85.4
Oct–Dec 200614.15.5
Nov–Jan 200714.35.5
Dec–Feb 200714.55.5
Jan–Mar 200714.55.5
Feb–Apr 200714.65.5
Mar–May 200714.75.4
Apr–Jun 200714.75.4
May–Jul 200714.65.3
Jun–Aug 200714.65.3
Jul–Sep 200714.55.3
Aug–Oct 200714.25.2
Sep–Nov 200714.05.2
Oct–Dec 200713.95.2
Nov–Jan 200813.85.2
Dec–Feb 200813.85.2
Jan–Mar 200814.05.2
Feb–Apr 200814.35.3
Mar–May 200814.05.2
Apr–Jun 200814.65.4
May–Jul 200814.85.5
Jun–Aug 200815.35.7
Jul–Sep 200815.55.9
Aug–Oct 200815.96.0
Sep–Nov 200816.36.2
Oct–Dec 200816.56.4
Nov–Jan 200916.86.5
Dec–Feb 200916.96.7
Jan–Mar 200918.17.1
Feb–Apr 200918.67.3
Mar–May 200919.47.6
Apr–Jun 200919.47.8
May–Jul 200919.97.9
Jun–Aug 200919.97.9
Jul–Sep 200920.07.8
Aug–Oct 200920.17.9
Sep–Nov 200919.67.8
Oct–Dec 200919.57.8
Nov–Jan 201019.67.7
Dec–Feb 201019.97.9
Jan–Mar 201020.38.0
Feb–Apr 201020.28.0
Mar–May 201020.17.9
Apr–Jun 201019.97.9
May–Jul 201019.67.8
Jun–Aug 201019.87.8
Jul–Sep 201019.37.8
Aug–Oct 201020.27.9
Sep–Nov 201020.57.9
Oct–Dec 201020.67.9
Nov–Jan 201120.67.9
Dec–Feb 201120.57.8
Jan–Mar 201120.37.8
Feb–Apr 201119.77.7
Mar–May 201120.17.8
Apr–Jun 201120.67.9
May–Jul 201121.38.0
Jun–Aug 201121.98.2
Jul–Sep 201122.38.3
Aug–Oct 201122.48.4
Sep–Nov 201122.58.5
Oct–Dec 201122.38.4
Nov–Jan 201222.48.3
Dec–Feb 201222.18.3
Jan–Mar 201221.98.2
Feb–Apr 201221.98.2
Mar–May 201221.98.1
Apr–Jun 201221.58.0
May–Jul 201221.68.0
Jun–Aug 201220.87.9
Jul–Sep 201221.07.8
Aug–Oct 201220.57.8
Sep–Nov 201220.87.8
Oct–Dec 201221.07.8
Nov–Jan 201321.47.8
Dec–Feb 201321.28.0
Jan–Mar 201320.87.8
Feb–Apr 201320.57.8
Mar–May 201320.97.7
Apr–Jun 201321.47.7
May–Jul 201321.37.7
Jun–Aug 201321.37.7
Jul–Sep 201321.27.6
Aug–Oct 201320.67.4
Sep–Nov 201320.27.2
Oct–Dec 201320.17.2
Nov–Jan 201419.97.1
Dec–Feb 201419.26.9
Jan–Mar 201418.96.7
Feb–Apr 201418.26.6
Mar–May 201417.66.4
Apr–Jun 201416.76.3
May–Jul 201416.56.1
Jun–Aug 201416.16.0
Jul–Sep 201416.46.0
Aug–Oct 201416.65.9
Sep–Nov 201417.05.9
Oct–Dec 201416.45.7
Nov–Jan 201516.25.6
Dec–Feb 201516.15.6
Jan–Mar 201515.95.5
Feb–Apr 201515.95.5
Mar–May 201515.75.6
Apr–Jun 201515.75.6
May–Jul 201515.55.5
Jun–Aug 201514.75.4
Jul–Sep 201514.25.3
Aug–Oct 201513.65.2
Sep–Nov 201513.85.1
Oct–Dec 201513.65.1
Nov–Jan 201613.85.1
Dec–Feb 201613.85.1
Jan–Mar 201613.75.1
Feb–Apr 201613.55.0
Mar–May 201613.44.9
Apr–Jun 201613.64.9
May–Jul 201613.74.9
Jun–Aug 201613.85.0
Jul–Sep 201613.34.8
Aug–Oct 201613.04.8
Sep–Nov 201612.74.8
Oct–Dec 201612.54.7
Nov–Jan 201712.34.7
Dec–Feb 201712.54.6
Jan–Mar 201712.44.6
Feb–Apr 201712.54.5
Mar–May 201712.54.4
Apr–Jun 201712.34.4
May–Jul 201712.14.3
Jun–Aug 201712.24.3
Jul–Sep 201712.04.3
Aug–Oct 201712.04.2
Sep–Nov 201712.24.3
Oct–Dec 201712.44.4
Nov–Jan 201812.34.3
Dec–Feb 201812.14.2
Jan–Mar 201812.04.2
Feb–Apr 201811.84.2
Mar–May 201812.04.2
Apr–Jun 201811.34.0
May–Jul 201811.34.0
Jun–Aug 201810.94.0
Jul–Sep 201811.24.1
Aug–Oct 201811.44.1
Sep–Nov 201811.74.0
Oct–Dec 201811.84.0
Nov–Jan 201911.53.9
Dec–Feb 201911.34.0
Jan–Mar 201911.03.8
Feb–Apr 201911.23.8
Mar–May 201911.53.8
Apr–Jun 201911.63.9
May–Jul 201911.63.9
Jun–Aug 201911.83.9
Jul–Sep 201911.93.9
Aug–Oct 201911.43.8
Sep–Nov 201911.43.8
Oct–Dec 201911.23.7
Nov–Jan 202011.73.9
Dec–Feb 202011.83.9
Jan–Mar 202012.44.1
Feb–Apr 202012.84.1
Mar–May 202013.04.1
Apr–Jun 202013.04.1
May–Jul 202013.94.4
Jun–Aug 202014.74.6
Jul–Sep 202015.25.0
Aug–Oct 202015.25.2
Sep–Nov 202014.85.2
Oct–Dec 202014.85.3
Nov–Jan 202114.75.2
Dec–Feb 202114.65.0
Jan–Mar 202113.74.9
Feb–Apr 202113.64.8
Mar–May 202113.34.8
Apr–Jun 202112.94.7
May–Jul 202112.94.6
Jun–Aug 202112.44.5
Jul–Sep 202111.94.4
Aug–Oct 202111.44.3
Sep–Nov 202111.24.2
Oct–Dec 202111.34.2
Nov–Jan 202211.44.1
Dec–Feb 202211.43.9
Jan–Mar 202210.73.8
Feb–Apr 202210.93.8
Mar–May 202210.33.7
Apr–Jun 202210.33.8
May–Jul 20229.33.6
Jun–Aug 20229.43.6
Jul–Sep 202210.03.7
Aug–Oct 202210.73.8
Sep–Nov 202211.43.9
Oct–Dec 202211.83.9
Nov–Jan 202311.23.9
Dec–Feb 202311.54.0
Jan–Mar 202311.74.0
Feb–Apr 202311.33.9
Mar–May 202311.44.0
Apr–Jun 202312.34.2
May–Jul 202313.14.4
Jun–Aug 202313.04.3
Jul–Sep 202311.94.1
Aug–Oct 202312.04.0
Sep–Nov 202312.44.0
Oct–Dec 202311.93.9
Nov–Jan 202412.34.1
Dec–Feb 202412.84.2
Jan–Mar 202413.24.3
Feb–Apr 202413.64.4
Mar–May 202413.94.4
Apr–Jun 202413.54.2
May–Jul 202414.54.2
Jun–Aug 202413.84.1
Jul–Sep 202414.64.3
Aug–Oct 202413.64.2
Sep–Nov 202414.44.4
Oct–Dec 202414.74.4
Nov–Jan 202514.64.4
Dec–Feb 202514.64.5
Jan–Mar 202514.24.6
Feb–Apr 202514.44.6
Mar–May 202514.24.7
Apr–Jun 202514.34.7
May–Jul 202514.34.7
Jun–Aug 202514.64.8
Jul–Sep 202515.35.0
Aug–Oct 202515.95.1
Sep–Nov 202515.95.1
Oct–Dec 202516.15.2
Nov–Jan 202616.15.2
Dec–Feb 202615.94.9
Jan–Mar 202616.25.0
Feb–Apr 202616.24.9
Mar–May 202616.44.9
Apr–Jun 202616.24.9
May–Jul 202616.44.9

What happens after 16–18 study

The better test of a route into adult life is where people are months later, not whether they started something. The Department for Education measures this for England: of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023 at state-funded mainstream schools and colleges, 78.9% had a sustained destination — at least six months (October 2023 to March 2024) in education (43.2%), an apprenticeship (7.4%) or employment (28.2%). That was 0.9 points lower than the year before. Students who had been eligible for the pupil premium were 14.8 percentage points less likely to have a sustained destination.

The remaining fifth are not all NEET: the measure also counts people whose activity did not last six months or is not recorded. It covers England only and is published more than two years after the students leave, which is why the quarterly UK NEET survey above is used for the headline.

Options for sustained youth pathways — guaranteed jobs, training places and earlier identification of young people at risk — are compared in What would move the needle?. Post-16 choices and apprenticeships are covered in From classroom to work and Skills and apprenticeships.

Sources and methods (4)

Method notes

  • NEET and unemployment are both Labour Force Survey estimates for the UK; destination measures are DfE administrative data for England.
  • Three-month windows are labelled by their full span. The ONS time-series API files each window under its middle month; this page converts them so that “Apr–Jun 2026” means April to June 2026.
  • NEET series break at January–March 2019 (survey reweighting).