UK youth not in education or work falls to 981,000
In the United Kingdom, the number of people aged 16 to 24 who are not working, studying or undergoing vocational training fell to 981,000 in April-June 2026. This represents 13.0% of this age group, compared with 1.011 million, or 13.5%, in the first quarter.
As Cyprus Mail reports, citing official data, the number of young people classified as NEET in the first quarter of 2026 was the highest since 2013. At the same time, their total number increased by 30,000 over the past year.
Government calls the issue a priority
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the new figures confirm the need to give priority attention to youth inactivity. He also mentioned new work-experience programmes for people who have been out of work for a long time.
Earlier, the UK government considered limiting the pace of minimum wage increases for workers aged 18 to 20.
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Fewer entry-level vacancies
In May, former minister Alan Milburn warned in his report of the risk of a “lost generation” of young people classified as NEET. In his assessment, within five years, one in six people in the relevant age group could belong to this category.
Milburn's report described the social security system as a factor that intensifies inactivity. At the same time, it recorded a significant reduction in the number of entry-level vacancies requiring low or medium qualifications. These include, in particular, Saturday jobs for schoolchildren.
A survey by Lancaster University's Work Foundation found that nearly half of medium-sized and large companies had fewer vacancies for young people than a year earlier. According to the survey, this is partly linked to the wider use of artificial intelligence and automation. The Confederation of British Industry said that higher employment-related taxes had reduced companies' willingness to hire staff, despite concessions for some young workers.
