"Nearly one million young people aged 16 to 24 in the United Kingdom are not in education, employment or training. One in 8 young people. And rising." Rt. Hon Alan Milburn, June 2026. 

Please see the link below to the Rt. Hon Alan Milburn's interim report commissioned by the Department for Work & Pensions, published in June 2026. The report focuses on the risk of young people becoming NEET.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/young-people-and-work-interim-report/young-people-and-work-interim-report

Also linked to this is the Research report named Risk Factors for becoming NEET. The report investigates the risk factors associated with becoming NEET (not in education, employment, or training) for six months or more at ages 17 to 19 and ages 20 to 24.

Extract from the report:

"NEET risk is complex. A range of familial, educational, and behavioural factors are linked with NEET status at ages 17 to 19 and ages 20 to 24, with broadly similar risk factors observed at both stages. However, three factors stand out as particularly important. Having an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and being persistently absent from school during KS4 (missing 10% or more of possible sessions) are the factors with the strongest link to being NEET. Low GCSE attainment (not attaining five good GCSEs including English and Maths) is more widespread, with a more moderate, but still meaningful, link to NEET status.

Other factors are also important, such as lack of participation in leisure activities, parents having no qualifications, and low engagement in school. Moreover, NEET risk is shown to increase linearly with the number of risk factors an individual has. In other words, those at highest risk of becoming NEET will have multiple risk factors, requiring a holistic approach to prevention."

Please see the document below.