Business & Finance

UK youth unemployment drops below 1 million in latest quarter

Despite the quarterly improvement, the total number of young people not in work, education, or training remains higher than last year.

Updated Aug 27, 2026 · 11:20 UTC1 reports

The short version

The number of UK young people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment, or training (Neet) fell to an estimated 981,000 in April to June.
Despite the decline from the previous quarter, the total is still 30,000 higher than the same period last year.
A government-commissioned review led by former health minister Alan Milburn is expected to deliver recommendations on youth services in the autumn.

The Office for National Statistics reported that the number of Neets fell to 981,000 in the April to June quarter, down from 1,012,000 in the January to March quarter.[The Guardian]
The annual number of Neets is 30,000 higher than a year ago, comprising 530,000 men and 451,000 women.[The Guardian]
Approximately 13% of young people in the UK are currently outside work, education, or training.[The Guardian]
A report by the Work Foundation thinktank found that 36% of employers reduced the number of entry-level jobs available for 16-to-24-year-olds over the past 12 months.[The Guardian]
Work and Pensions Minister Pat McFadden has described addressing youth unemployment as a 'national cause'.[The Guardian]

Experts have proposed several potential drivers for youth unemployment—including employer reluctance, the adoption of artificial intelligence for entry-level tasks, and rising mental illness—but the relative impact of these factors remains unquantified.[The Guardian]