NEET: What does this mean for our Young People?

NEET means “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.” 

NEET means “Not in Education, Employment, or Training.” This is used by governments, researchers, schools, and charities to describe young people between 16–24-year-olds, who aren’t currently:

• in school, college, or university,

• working (full-time or part-time),

• or doing apprenticeships/training programs.

In the UK, the term often refers to people who are not seen transitioning into adult life after compulsory education.

Some young adults are in this situation for a short time while they travel in a gap year or are waiting to start a training course or job. There are concerns for those who are in this transition stage for longer.

Office for National Statistics - Young People not in Education, employment or training(NEET)UK

There were 1,012,000 young people who were NEET in January to March 2026, an increase of 89,000 on the year and 55,000 on the quarter. This increase was largely among young men, with an increase of 55,000 on the year, as well as an increase among young women of 34,000 on the year. Of the total number of young people who were NEET, 553,000 were young men and 459,000 were young women.

ONS.GOV.UK

Possible Reasons for the Increase in NEET in the UK

Education became more pressurised.

Many young people finish compulsory education and take a gap year to get a break from the pressure of the education system. Many feel they no longer want to be tested, graded and measured. At the same time, real-life skills are not encouraged as they are not seen as valuable as the STEM subjects.

Mental Health needs have not kept up with the requirements of young people.

There has been an increase in Mental Health issues along with the increased awareness and acceptance. The services are not being funded and offered to keep up with the potential workload. Many young people have to cope with employment or training as they wait years for support.

COVID disrupted the normal social development of a generation of children

Many teenagers and young adults lost:

• routine,

• exams,

• social milestones,

• first jobs,

• relationship-building,

• confidence,

• independence practice.

For some, the disruption lasted long after lockdowns ended.

A portion of young people became socially withdrawn or anxious about re-entering normal

life.

The internet rewired social life.

Social media changed how identity and status work.

Previous generations mostly compared themselves to:

• classmates,

• neighbours,

• local peers.

Now, young people constantly compare themselves to millions of others.

That creates:

• relentless comparison,

• fear of failure,

• pressure to perform,

• pressure to be attractive/successful,

• anxiety about visibility and judgement.

And unlike older generations, many young people never fully “switch off” socially.

The future feels less predictable.

A lot of young people grew up hearing:

• climate crisis,

• economic instability,

• housing crisis,

• political polarization,

• AI replacing jobs,

• rising inequality.

Many feel they inherited uncertainty rather than progress.

There’s also a cultural shift around meaning

Older models of adulthood were clearer:

• stable job,

• marriage,

• house,

• children.

Today, there are far more choices — which can be liberating — but also more uncertainty.

NEET's World

The reality is that many NEET young people live in a world that adults don't always understand. Schools, workplaces, mental-health systems, housing markets, and communities often still operate as if the world works the way it did 30–50 years ago — while young people are living in something very different.