Just under one million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training - or "Neet" - according to data published ahead of a major report about a "lost generation". The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were Neet between April and June. That is about one in eight people in that age group.
The final instalment of a major report by former minister Alan Milburn is expected to set out recommendations for tackling the problem in the coming weeks. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told the BBC ministers would "take those [recommendations] forward". Want your job application to stand out?
Employers say they look for these six skills Competition for degree apprenticeships quadruples as university costs rise The new data suggests the number of young people who are Neet has fallen compared to the first three months of the year, when it was over one million, or 13.5% of the total population of people aged 16 to 24. But it has risen by 3% compared to the same period last year, when it was 951,000 young people. The estimates are based on information from a sample of households.
The ONS says looking at a smaller subset, like Neets, leads to more "variability" - which can explain small changes from quarter to quarter and means it is best to look at long-term, rather than short-term, changes. Asia Mason, 22, from London, says she spent more than two years applying for jobs before she finally secured her first role in the NHS. After leaving college with a health and social care qualification, Mason hoped to work in maternity.
She applied for more than 30 jobs but was repeatedly told she lacked experience. "I remember thinking, 'How am I supposed to get experience if nobody is willing to give me the opportunity to gain it?'" she says. She ended up securing her first NHS role after completing a social care programme run by The King's Trust charity, which helped her gain experience and confidence.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the UK labour market was "in a robust position" but there had been "a long-term challenge for young people". He said he was "looking forward" to recommendations on how to tackle the issue from Milburn. "We'll have proposals, legislation, if necessary, to take those forward," he said.
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