How many young people are NEET in England?
The latest annual Department for Education estimate shows that 839,900 young people aged 16–24 in England were not in education, employment or training in October–December 2025. That was 13.3% of the age group.
DfE NEET (Labour Force Survey) — England — academic age 16–24 — October–December 2025. All four figures are estimates from a sample survey.
Why is the 16–17 rate so much lower?
Young people aged 16 and 17 in England are subject to Raising the Participation Age requirements and must remain in education or training. At age 18 that legal requirement ends. That is important context, although the law alone should not be treated as the only cause of the difference.
Is 13.3% rising or falling?
It was 0.3 percentage points lower than 2024. However, DfE notes that the longer pattern since 2021 has generally been upward with annual fluctuations. The latest fall is real, but it does not by itself establish a new long-term trend – particularly given the increased sampling variability DfE reports in the survey.
Are all 839,900 unemployed?
No. The total includes both unemployed and economically inactive young people. Describing the whole group as “839,900 unemployed young people” would be incorrect.
Why do other reports quote different numbers?
Because different official series cover different geographies, age definitions, time periods, frequencies and methodologies. The ONS quarterly NEET series is UK-wide; the DfE series used here is England only.
The Explorer shows the England series by single year of age from 2015, with 95% confidence intervals on every point.