Employer's Social Mobility Alliance

Two factors have been identified as affecting the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). Firstly, the proportion not in any education or training (NET) and secondly, the employment rate for young people who are NET. Overall, the NEET rate for ages 16-18 in England has remained fairly stable since 2015, currently standing at 6.6%. For comparative purposes, at its peak in 2008, during the period of recession, the rate for this age group stood at approximately 10.5%.1 The reason for this consistency, despite increases in participation in education and apprenticeships since the introduction of Raising Participation Age legislation in 2013/14, is that they have ‘been largely offset by falls in the proportion in wider training (such as employer/privately funded) and falls in the NET employment rate’. However, there are notable differences in NEET status by gender in the 16/17 age group (5.3% male, compared to 3.1% female).

Overall, the 16-18 NEET rate has been on a downward trajectory since the 2008 recession despite a slight increase in 2011 following the introduction of tuition fees in England and a notable fall following the raising of the compulsory participation in education and training age to 18 from 2013.

However, there is evidence that those from lower socio-economic backgrounds are far more likely to become NEET. The key factors contributing to the chance of an individual becoming NEET are family background and place.2 Economically deprived communities have higher proportions of young people who are defined as NEET. Other groups identified as at a greater risk are young people with special educational needs, learning difficulties or a disability. Policies focused on reducing social inequality will therefore likely impact positively on the NEET rate.