This is an acronym for ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ and is used to describe the situation of many young people aged between 16 and 24 in the UK. Figures from the ONS in February 2025 show that there were 987,000 such young people in the period October to December 2024, up from 877,000 in the same period in 2023. This figure represents almost 16% of young people in this age group. Across Europe, the average percentage of NEETs is just over 11%, with rates being much lower in the Netherlands and much higher in Romania.
Not having a job has serious implications, both for those involved, and for society. With the current emphasis on economic growth, the absence of large numbers of young people from the workforce results in staff shortages in many sectors of employment, and leads to an increase in welfare payments and a loss of taxation from earners.
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