Story perspectives

UK NEET Youths Hit 1 Million, Review Warns

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 12:01 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Alan Milburn warned that 1 million 16-to-24-year-olds are NEET.
The review estimates this equals roughly one in eight UK youths.
Six in ten NEET have never held a job, up from four in 2005.
The UK's NEET rate exceeds comparable high-performing nations, where it is about one in 20.
Eighty-four percent of NEET say they want a job, education or training.

History

Historical Context

Facing a sharp rise in youth unemployment, the Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher replaced the 1978 Youth Opportunities Programme with the Youth Training Scheme in 1983, managed by the Manpower Services Commission. An 1986 amendment let placements run up to two years, and a 1989 rename shifted control to local training councils. The scheme’s mixed legacy informs today’s NEET debate.

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Story summary

Alan Milburn warned that 1 million 16-to-24-year-olds are NEET.
The review estimates this equals roughly one in eight UK youths.
Six in ten NEET have never held a job, up from four in 2005.
The UK's NEET rate exceeds comparable high-performing nations, where it is about one in 20.
Eighty-four percent of NEET say they want a job, education or training.

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