Thousands of young people across the UK are outside education, employment or training without claiming benefits, raising an important question about how employment support reaches those who may not be connected to the traditional systems designed to help people into work.

New research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) examines this group, often described as hidden NEETs. At the end of 2025, around 870,000 people aged 18 to 24 in Great Britain were not in education, employment or training, with almost 300,000 estimated to be claiming no benefits at all. This means they are outside the main benefit-based routes through which young people can access employment support.

However, being outside the benefits system does not necessarily mean somebody is disconnected from the labour market. The IFS found that among hidden NEETs aged 22 to 23, 74% were actively looking for work, while others were volunteering or temporarily between education and employment. More than half had been NEET for less than six months.

This is an important distinction. Many young people outside employment are not necessarily lacking motivation or ambition. They may be applying for jobs, waiting for an opportunity or trying to make the transition from education into the workplace without receiving formal employment support.

The research also found that hidden NEETs generally have stronger employment prospects than young people who are NEET and receiving benefits. Among the 22 to 23-year-olds studied, 54% of hidden NEETs had a degree, compared with 12% of those receiving benefits. The IFS therefore cautions against assuming that every young person outside the benefits system requires intensive government intervention.

At the same time, there is a group for whom being outside the system could become a much longer-term problem. Around 43% of hidden NEETs aged 22 to 23 had been outside work or education for more than six months, while 19% had been in that position for more than 18 months.

This is where access to opportunity becomes particularly important.

Some employment initiatives are connected to how long somebody has been claiming Universal Credit rather than simply how long they have been outside work. The IFS argues there is a case for considering wider access to employment programmes for young adults who are not claiming benefits, while also acknowledging the additional costs and practical challenges this could create.

The wider independent review into young people and work has also highlighted the difficulty of identifying young people who are outside both employment and the welfare system. Government analysis estimated around 314,000 18 to 24-year-olds in England were NEET without claiming benefits, although the estimate has a wide uncertainty range. Looking for work or a suitable course was the most commonly identified reason for being NEET among this group.

Employment support therefore cannot depend entirely on young people finding their way into one particular system.

Community organisations, colleges, training providers, local employers and youth services can all provide additional routes through which somebody can discover opportunities. Stronger connections between these organisations could help ensure that a young person does not have to be claiming a particular benefit before they can receive careers advice, develop workplace skills or meet employers.

Employers can play an especially important role. Apprenticeships, work placements and genuine entry-level positions give young people somewhere to begin building experience. Recruiting for potential alongside previous employment history can also prevent capable candidates from being overlooked simply because they have not yet had their first substantial opportunity.

There also needs to be recognition that the term “hidden NEET” covers people in very different circumstances. Someone who has recently finished university and is spending several months looking for their first graduate job may require very different support from somebody who has spent two years disconnected from both employment and education.

That is why personalised support matters. Rather than treating every young person outside employment as having the same needs, support can focus on the individual barriers preventing progress — whether that is experience, confidence, qualifications, transport, career direction or simply access to suitable vacancies.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future defined by potential rather than circumstance.

Young people should not have to become visible to the benefits system before they become visible to opportunity. Employment support can be strongest when employers, education, apprenticeships, employability programmes and community organisations create multiple ways for people to engage and move forward.

Our mission is to help young people Discover, Believe and Become.

The challenge is not simply finding every young person who is currently NEET. It is making sure that when somebody needs support, there is an accessible route towards skills, confidence, employers and meaningful work — regardless of whether they are already connected to the welfare system.

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The latest figures showing a fall in the number of young people not in education, employment or training offer some encouragement, but the wider picture shows there is still significant work to do to connect more young people with opportunity.

The latest data released in August 2026 shows an estimated 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 were NEET between April and June, equivalent to around 13% of the age group. The total has fallen compared with the previous quarter, taking the number back below one million, but remains higher than a year earlier.

Learning and Work Institute Deputy Director Elizabeth Gerard described the fall as welcome but warned that the number remains too high. The organisation also highlighted a particularly important change within the figures: more young people classified as NEET are unemployed and actively looking for work, rather than economically inactive.

That distinction matters because it shows that many young people are not disconnected from the idea of employment. They want to work. The challenge is ensuring that enough suitable opportunities exist and that young people can successfully connect with them.

For somebody beginning their career, finding that first opportunity can be one of the hardest stages. Employers understandably value experience, but young people cannot build workplace experience until somebody gives them the opportunity to start.

Apprenticeships, work placements, practical training and genuine entry-level positions can help bridge that gap.

The wider jobs market can make that transition even more difficult. Learning and Work Institute’s August labour-market analysis found that vacancies have continued to fall, while retail and hospitality, two sectors that have traditionally provided many young people with their first experience of employment, have experienced notable reductions in employment.

This makes employer partnerships increasingly important. Education providers, employment programmes and community organisations can help young people develop skills and confidence, but employers ultimately provide the workplaces where those abilities can turn into experience and careers.

Businesses willing to recruit for potential as well as previous experience can provide opportunities to candidates who might otherwise be overlooked. With training, mentoring and a supportive introduction to the workplace, a young person without an extensive employment history can develop into a valuable member of the workforce.

Apprenticeships can provide another important route by combining learning with practical employment. For young people who may not want to follow a purely academic pathway, vocational education and employer-led training can offer the chance to develop skills while gaining real experience.

Confidence also deserves attention. Spending months outside education or employment can make moving forward feel increasingly difficult, particularly when applications repeatedly end in rejection or receive no response.

Employability support should therefore help young people with communication, interviews, workplace expectations and recognising the transferable skills they already possess.

There is also no single reason why somebody becomes NEET. Previous Learning and Work Institute research found that 58% of NEET young people had never had a paid job, while almost half remained outside education, employment or training a year after first becoming NEET.

These figures reinforce why early support and access to first employment opportunities can be so important.

The latest fall in the headline number is therefore something to build upon. Sustainable progress will require young people to have clear routes between education, skills development, apprenticeships, employability support and employers rather than leaving them to navigate the transition alone.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future defined by potential rather than circumstance.

Supporting someone into work is not simply about changing their employment status. A first opportunity can build confidence, create independence, develop skills and introduce somebody to career possibilities they may never previously have considered.

The goal should be to ensure that fewer young people spend long periods waiting on the outside of employment and education. That requires employers, training providers, education organisations and communities to work together to create opportunities that young people can genuinely access.

Our mission is to help young people Discover, Believe and Become.

Falling NEET numbers are encouraging, but progress should ultimately be measured by how many young people are able to move towards a future with greater confidence, skills and opportunity.

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Learning should not stop when somebody leaves school, college or university. As workplaces change and new technologies reshape the skills employers need, the ability to continue learning throughout a career is becoming increasingly important.

Tackling the jobs crisis facing young people should form part of a much wider rethink of lifelong learning. The organisation believes skills development needs to respond not only to the immediate difficulties young people face entering employment, but also to the changing needs of workers and businesses throughout their working lives.

The timing is significant. The BCC’s latest economic forecast expects youth unemployment to reach 16.6% by the end of 2026 before potentially rising to 17.6% in 2027. At the same time, businesses are facing their own pressures around investment and recruitment, making it even more important that the skills people develop connect with genuine opportunities in the labour market.

For young people beginning their careers, lifelong learning can start with something as simple as recognising that their first qualification or first job does not have to determine everything that comes afterwards. Skills can be developed, careers can change and new opportunities can emerge as somebody gains experience.

This is particularly important for young people who may currently be outside education, employment or training. Someone who has struggled to find their first job does not necessarily lack ability. They may need a different route into the workplace, additional training, greater confidence or an opportunity to demonstrate what they can do.

Apprenticeships can play an important role by combining employment with learning. Practical training, work placements and employer-led programmes can also help young people develop skills in real working environments while building the experience that can be difficult to gain through traditional education alone.

But learning should also reflect how quickly workplaces are changing. Digital technology and artificial intelligence are transforming many industries, while communication, adaptability, teamwork and problem-solving remain valuable across different sectors. Preparing people for the future therefore means developing both technical abilities and the transferable skills that allow someone to adapt as their career progresses.

Employers have an important part to play in making this possible. Businesses understand the skills they require and can help education and training providers ensure learning connects with real jobs. Stronger employer partners can also give young people greater exposure to different industries, allowing them to understand what careers actually involve before deciding which direction they want to pursue.

The relationship can benefit employers too. The BCC has previously highlighted concerns around recruitment and skills, including the need to engage Generation Z more effectively with the workplace. Creating clearer links between businesses, training and young people can help employers develop their future workforce rather than waiting for perfectly experienced candidates to appear.

Lifelong learning also recognises that careers are rarely completely predictable. Industries grow and change, new roles appear and the skills required for existing jobs evolve. Giving people access to training throughout their working lives can help them respond to those changes rather than feeling left behind by them.

For young people, that message can be particularly powerful. Entering employment does not mean having to know exactly what you want to do for the next 40 years. The first opportunity can simply be a starting point — somewhere to build confidence, develop skills, discover strengths and understand what direction might come next.

That is why careers support should focus on possibility as well as immediate employment. Helping somebody secure a job matters, but helping them understand how they can continue developing after they enter work can create much longer-term benefits.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future defined by potential rather than circumstance.

Creating those futures requires education, employers, training providers and community organisations to work together. Apprenticeships, practical skills development, employability support and accessible career pathways can all provide different routes towards the same goal: helping people move forward.

Lifelong learning ultimately means recognising that development does not have an expiry date. Whether somebody is taking their first steps towards employment, learning a new workplace skill or changing direction later in their career, there should always be an opportunity to grow.

Our mission is to help young people Discover, Believe and Become.

If more young people can access learning that connects directly with employers and real career opportunities, tackling youth unemployment becomes about more than getting somebody into their first job. It becomes about giving them the skills, confidence and adaptability to continue building their future long after that first opportunity arrives.

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Nearly one million young people across the UK remain outside education, employment or training, reinforcing the scale of the challenge facing those trying to take their first steps towards a career.

The latest Office for National Statistics figures estimate that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 were not in education, employment or training (NEET) between April and June 2026. This represents 13% of all young people within that age group. While the number fell by 30,000 compared with the previous quarter, it remained 30,000 higher than during the same period in 2025.

The figures have prompted renewed concern about the opportunities available to young people, with the situation described as a serious national challenge. But behind a number approaching one million are hundreds of thousands of individual circumstances, ambitions and abilities. Addressing the issue requires more than focusing on the headline figure alone.

A significant proportion of young people classified as NEET are actively looking for employment. The ONS estimates that 393,000 were unemployed, meaning they were seeking work and available to start. Another 588,000 were economically inactive.

This distinction matters because many young people outside employment have not given up on the idea of working. For some, the challenge is finding an accessible route into it.

The transition into employment can be particularly difficult when somebody has limited workplace experience. Young people can find themselves applying for entry-level positions while competing against applicants who already have employment histories, creating a familiar problem: they need experience to secure a job but need somebody to give them a job before they can gain experience.

Creating more genuine entry points into the workforce can help break that cycle. Apprenticeships, work placements, vocational training and entry-level positions can give young people an opportunity to demonstrate their ability while developing practical skills in a working environment.

Employers can also make a difference by recognising potential alongside previous experience. Qualifications and employment history provide useful information, but they cannot always demonstrate somebody’s attitude, creativity, communication skills or willingness to learn. Recruitment that gives young people an opportunity to show those qualities can open doors for candidates who might otherwise be overlooked.

Confidence is another important part of the transition into employment. Spending months applying for jobs without success can gradually affect how somebody views their own abilities. Employability support that combines practical skills with interview preparation, communication, mentoring and confidence building can help young people become better prepared for opportunities when they arrive.

Education and training remain equally important. The ONS considers apprenticeships, government-supported training programmes, qualification-based learning and recent job-related training as forms of education or training within its NEET measures. Strengthening these pathways can give young people alternatives when a traditional academic route or immediate employment is not right for them.

Employer partnerships can bring these different areas together. When businesses work directly with schools, colleges, training providers and community organisations, young people can gain a clearer understanding of careers while employers can connect with potential talent earlier. These partnerships can help ensure that the skills being developed reflect genuine workforce needs.

The challenge is also about preventing short periods outside work or education from becoming much longer ones. Early careers guidance, accessible training and personalised employment support can help somebody identify their next step before uncertainty becomes long-term disengagement.

The latest numbers should be interpreted carefully. The ONS warns that NEET estimates can experience greater statistical volatility because they relate to a smaller population group, and it recommends focusing on longer-term movements rather than drawing conclusions from individual quarterly changes. Even with that caution, the wider message remains clear: hundreds of thousands of young people need stronger routes towards opportunity.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future defined by potential rather than circumstance.

Reducing youth unemployment is not simply about moving a number on a spreadsheet. It means helping somebody gain their first experience of work, discover a career they did not know existed, develop new skills or rebuild the confidence needed to move forward.

Almost one million young people represent almost one million different stories. The solution will therefore require different pathways, stronger employer partnerships, apprenticeships, employability support, education, community support and businesses prepared to invest in the next generation of the workforce.

Our mission is to help young people Discover, Believe and Become.

Creating more opportunities will not transform the figures overnight, but every young person who moves into education, training or meaningful employment represents progress and potentially the beginning of an entirely different future.

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For many young people across the UK, finding that first opportunity in employment is becoming an increasingly difficult journey. Applications can stretch across months, rejection can become familiar and gaining the experience employers are looking for can feel impossible when nobody has yet given you the chance to build it.

Recent figures show that around one in eight young people are not currently in education, employment or training. While every person’s circumstances are different, the numbers highlight a wider challenge around how young people move from education, unemployment or uncertainty into meaningful work.

The BBC recently shared the experiences of young people who have struggled to secure employment, including one young person who said it took two years to finally get a job. Stories like this demonstrate something that statistics alone cannot always show: many young people outside employment genuinely want to work but can spend months or even years waiting for someone to give them their first opportunity.

One of the biggest barriers can be experience. Young applicants regularly find themselves competing for entry-level positions that still expect previous workplace knowledge. This creates a difficult cycle: they need experience to secure employment, but they need an employer to give them an opportunity before they can gain that experience.

That is where apprenticeships, work placements, training and genuine entry-level positions can make an important difference. These pathways give young people the chance to develop practical skills while demonstrating their attitude, reliability and willingness to learn in a real working environment.

Repeated rejection can also have an impact on confidence. Starting a job search with motivation is one thing, but maintaining that motivation after dozens of applications without an interview or meaningful feedback can become increasingly difficult. Employment support therefore needs to recognise that employability is about more than producing a CV. Communication, confidence, interview preparation and understanding how to present transferable skills can all help someone feel better prepared for the workplace.

Employers also have an important role in creating change. Previous experience can be valuable, but it should not always determine whether somebody deserves an opportunity. Recruiting for potential, character and willingness to develop can introduce businesses to young people who may not have the longest employment history but could become valuable members of their workforce with the right support.

Stronger employer partnerships can help make this possible. When businesses work alongside education providers, training organisations and community programmes, young people can gain greater exposure to careers while employers can connect with potential talent much earlier. These relationships can create clearer pathways from learning and employability support directly into the workplace.

It is also important to remember that securing a first job can mean far more than receiving a wage. Employment can provide routine, independence, confidence, new relationships and a sense of direction. For somebody who has spent a long period searching for work, finally being offered an opportunity can completely change how they see their own future.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future defined by potential rather than circumstance. A young person who has spent one or two years looking for work has not necessarily spent that time lacking motivation or ambition. Sometimes they have simply been waiting for the right employer, programme or opportunity to recognise what they could bring.

Reducing the number of young people outside education, employment and training will require continued investment in apprenticeships, employability, careers support, skills development and employer partnerships. But it will also require something much simpler: more organisations being prepared to give young people somewhere to start.

Our mission is to help young people Discover, Believe and Become. Because the first opportunity might only be one job to an employer, but to the young person who has spent months or years searching for it, that opportunity could be the beginning of everything that comes next.

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Ten weeks doesn’t sound like a particularly long time. It’s two and a half months, a small part of a year. But when I look back at the person who walked through the door during my first week at I’M MORE and compare her to the person I am now, it somehow feels much longer. 

Week-one me didn’t walk through the door knowing how to do everything I’m doing now. I had very little actual workplace experience, I was trying to understand what was expected of me, and everything around me was new. New people, new responsibilities, new software, new conversations and an entirely new routine. There were things I’m doing now that I couldn’t have imagined myself comfortably doing then. 

The strange thing is, I didn’t really notice the change happening. 

There wasn’t one morning where I walked into work and suddenly felt more experienced. There wasn’t a particular day where everything clicked and I thought, I’ve got this now. It happened gradually. One task became something I knew how to do. One conversation became easier. Something that made me nervous the first time became normal by the fifth. Before I knew it, things that once required so much thought had simply become part of my day. 

That’s why I’ve started thinking about the difference between week-one Macey and week-ten Macey. 

In ten weeks, I’ve learnt how to create and optimise articles, produce social media content and reels, contribute ideas, work on websites, be involved in recruitment and even find myself on the other side of an interview. I’ve sat in conversations about businesses, events, marketing and future plans that I wouldn’t have understood in the same way ten weeks ago. More importantly, I’ve become much more comfortable having my own opinion within those conversations rather than assuming everyone else must know better than me. 

But not all of that growth can be written down as a new skill. 

Some of the biggest changes have happened within me. I’ve become more comfortable communicating with people. I’ve learnt that I can be trusted with responsibilities and actually deliver what is expected of me. I’ve made mistakes and discovered that making one doesn’t mean I’ve failed. I’ve been pushed outside of my comfort zone, sometimes willingly and sometimes before I’ve even had enough time to overthink it, and I’ve repeatedly discovered that I’m capable of more than I initially give myself credit for. 

I’ve also realised how much the environment around you can influence what you start expecting from yourself. When you’re surrounded by people who have ideas, want to create things and actually act on those ideas, some of that drive starts rubbing off on you. That doesn’t mean I’ve suddenly become Bradley or that I want to work exactly like anybody else. I’m still myself and I still have my own way of doing things. But being around people who believe something can be created and then watching them actually create it has made me question some of the limits I’d quietly placed on myself. 

A positive workplace can’t magically give somebody confidence or experience overnight. What it can do is give them somewhere to develop those things. It can give someone responsibility before they’re completely confident in themselves, allow them to ask questions without feeling stupid for asking them and recognise what they could become rather than only looking at what they can already do. 

Recently, I’ve had the strange experience of watching someone else enter their own week one. Their journey is theirs, so I’m not going to tell their story for them. But seeing somebody else at the beginning made me stop and think about my own. 

It reminded me that the person people see working at I’M MORE today isn’t exactly the same person who first walked through that door ten weeks ago. And she shouldn’t be. She has ten weeks of experiences that week-one Macey simply didn’t have yet. 

I think that’s particularly important for someone my age who is looking at job descriptions while trying to find their opportunity. It’s very easy to read everything an employer wants and immediately start comparing it against what you can do today. You see something you’ve never done before and think, I don’t know how to do that, so maybe this isn’t for me. 

But sometimes we’re judging our week-one ability against the person we could eventually become. 

There are things I can do today that I couldn’t do when I started. Not because I was secretly experienced all along, but because somebody gave me somewhere to gain that experience. I had to be allowed to be new. I had to ask questions. I had to get things wrong. I had to learn. Most importantly, I had to show up on that first week without knowing what week ten would look like. 

I’m proud of week-ten me. I’m proud of what I’ve learnt, what I’ve created and how much more confident I’ve become. But looking back, I think I should be just as proud of week-one me. 

She didn’t have ten weeks of experience behind her. She couldn’t do everything I can do now, and she had absolutely no idea what she’d eventually be capable of. 

She just walked through the door and started. 

And without her, week-ten me wouldn’t exist. 

“I’m still learning, still growing, and still proving that where you start doesn’t decide where you’ll finish.” 

— Macey Hutchins 

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Youth unemployment is often discussed as though it has a single cause, but the reality is far more complex. A recent opinion article argues that the growing number of young people out of work is the result of several pressures coming together, including rising employment costs for businesses, fewer entry-level opportunities, greater competition for jobs and a benefits system that can sometimes make the transition into work more difficult.

At the same time, nearly one million young people remain not in education, employment or training (NEET), despite many wanting to work or continue learning. Recent labour market figures suggest that the shortage of starter roles and practical pathways into employment has become one of the biggest challenges facing this generation.

While different commentators may disagree on exactly why youth unemployment has risen, there is growing agreement that no single policy will solve the problem. The challenge is likely to require action from government, employers, education providers and local communities working together to create more opportunities for young people before they become disconnected from work or education.

For many employers, increasing costs and economic uncertainty have made recruitment more cautious. Entry-level roles are often the first positions to disappear when businesses face additional financial pressure. This leaves young people competing for fewer opportunities, even when they have the motivation and willingness to work. Without that crucial first step, gaining experience becomes increasingly difficult, creating a cycle that can be hard to break.

The conversation also highlights the importance of practical employability skills alongside academic qualifications. Confidence, communication, teamwork, resilience and workplace experience often play just as important a role in securing employment as exam results alone. Young people who have access to mentoring, work placements and careers guidance are often better prepared to make the transition into the workplace.

There is also a need to recognise that every young person’s journey is different. Some face financial barriers, others experience mental health challenges, while many simply struggle to find an employer willing to give them their first opportunity. Creating more accessible routes into employment, apprenticeships, traineeships and work experience can help remove some of these barriers before long-term unemployment becomes established.

Opportunity remains one of the most powerful tools available. When employers invest in young talent, they are not only filling vacancies but also helping to develop the future workforce. Likewise, when communities and organisations provide practical support and encouragement, they help young people build confidence alongside employability skills that can benefit them throughout their careers.

At I’M MORE, we believe that tackling youth unemployment starts with creating opportunity rather than simply discussing statistics. Every young person deserves the chance to discover their strengths, develop practical skills and build confidence through meaningful support. By working together to provide more pathways into employment, education and training, we can help more young people build brighter futures while strengthening communities and the wider UK economy.

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Britain’s future depends on the opportunities it creates for its young people today. A recent opinion piece argues that years of underinvestment in youth services, education and employment support have contributed to the challenges facing many young people, with rising numbers finding themselves out of work or education and struggling to build a stable future.

The discussion comes at a time when youth unemployment and economic inactivity remain major national concerns. Nearly one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET), representing not only a challenge for those individuals but also for employers, communities and the wider economy.

While the article reflects on the impact of years of reduced investment in preventative services, it also highlights an important message: supporting young people early is often far more effective than trying to solve problems once they have become long-term. Investment in education, mentoring, careers advice, youth services and employability programmes can provide young people with the confidence, practical skills and opportunities they need before barriers become harder to overcome.

For many young people, the biggest challenge is not a lack of ambition but a lack of opportunity. They may leave school unsure of their direction, struggle to gain work experience, face repeated job rejections or simply lack access to the guidance needed to take the next step. Without meaningful support, confidence can quickly decline, making it increasingly difficult to re-engage with education or employment.

Early intervention can change that trajectory. Whether through schools, community organisations, employers or specialist employment programmes, helping young people discover their strengths before they become disconnected can prevent long-term unemployment and improve future life outcomes. Building confidence alongside practical workplace skills allows individuals to believe that employment is achievable rather than something beyond their reach.

There is also a wider economic argument. Every young person who successfully moves into employment contributes to the economy, develops valuable skills and becomes part of a stronger workforce. Businesses gain access to fresh talent, communities become more resilient and public spending can increasingly focus on growth instead of responding to long-term challenges. Preventative investment benefits everyone, not just the individual receiving support.

Creating opportunity should therefore be viewed as a long-term investment rather than a short-term cost. When governments, employers, educators and communities work together to support young people before they fall behind, the benefits can last for decades. Strong foundations built during childhood and early adulthood often lead to stronger careers, healthier lives and greater confidence throughout adulthood.

At I’M MORE, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their potential, build confidence and create a future they can be proud of. While national policy plays an important role, meaningful change also happens through local action, practical support and organisations willing to invest in people. Every opportunity created today has the potential to change someone’s future tomorrow.

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A government-commissioned review has proposed that primary schools in England should identify children who may be at greater risk of becoming unemployed or leaving education without a clear pathway into work later in life. The recommendation forms part of a wider effort to tackle the UK’s long-standing challenge of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

At first glance, the idea may seem surprising. Many people will question whether it is possible—or even appropriate—to identify future employment challenges while children are still in primary school. However, supporters of the proposal argue that this is not about predicting a child’s future. Instead, it is about recognising early signs that additional support may be needed so that barriers can be addressed long before they become long-term problems.

Research has consistently shown that educational attainment, school attendance, confidence, communication skills and early development all influence future outcomes. Children who receive support early are often better equipped to engage with education, develop resilience and build the skills that employers increasingly value throughout later life.

For organisations like I’M MORE, the conversation is an important reminder that opportunity should not begin when someone becomes unemployed. By the time many young people reach the age of 18, they may already have experienced years of setbacks, reduced confidence or limited access to positive opportunities. Creating pathways much earlier could help prevent some of those challenges from developing in the first place.

This does not mean placing labels on children or lowering expectations. Every child develops at their own pace, and circumstances can change dramatically throughout their education. Rather, the focus should be on ensuring that schools, families, local authorities and employers work together to provide encouragement, mentoring and practical support whenever additional help is needed.

Building confidence, improving attendance, strengthening communication skills and helping young people discover their interests can all contribute towards better long-term employment outcomes. Small interventions delivered consistently over many years are often more effective than trying to solve complex problems once someone has already become disengaged from education or the labour market.

Early intervention also benefits employers and the wider economy. Young people who leave education feeling prepared for work are more likely to secure employment, continue learning and contribute positively to their communities. Businesses gain access to a stronger future workforce, while fewer people face the uncertainty that often comes with prolonged unemployment.

The discussion also highlights the importance of viewing education and employment as part of one continuous journey. Careers advice, work experience, mentoring and employability skills should not begin only in the final years of secondary school. Introducing positive experiences throughout childhood can help young people understand the wide range of opportunities available to them before they make important decisions about their future.

As policymakers continue reviewing how best to reduce youth unemployment, the central objective should remain creating more opportunity rather than simply measuring future risk. Every young person deserves the chance to discover their strengths, build confidence and develop the skills needed to succeed. With the right support at the right time, many of today’s challenges can become tomorrow’s opportunities.

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The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has fallen back below one million for the first time since reaching that milestone earlier this year. According to the latest Office for National Statistics data, an estimated 981,000 young people aged 16–24 were classed as NEET between April and June 2026, representing 13% of all young people. While this marks an improvement compared with the previous quarter, experts caution that the figures remain stubbornly high and should not be viewed as a turning point.

Although the quarterly decline offers encouragement, the longer-term picture remains challenging. There are still 30,000 more young people out of education, employment or training than there were a year ago, highlighting that the underlying issues affecting youth employment have not disappeared. Researchers and employment organisations continue to warn that the UK faces a sustained challenge in helping young people successfully transition into work.

One of the biggest concerns is the shortage of opportunities available to those taking their first steps into employment. Research suggests that the number of entry-level or “starter” jobs has fallen significantly over the past decade, leaving many young people competing for a limited number of vacancies. For those without previous work experience, breaking into the labour market has become increasingly difficult, even when they are motivated and actively searching for work.

The latest figures also reveal an important shift within the data. Much of the annual increase in NEET numbers is now made up of young people who are actively looking for work but cannot find it, rather than those who have stopped searching altogether. This suggests that many young people are engaging with the labour market but are struggling to secure opportunities that match their ambitions and abilities.

These challenges reinforce the importance of creating more pathways into employment before young people become disconnected for long periods. Work experience, apprenticeships, mentoring, careers advice and practical employability programmes can all help bridge the gap between education and employment. Giving young people the chance to build confidence alongside workplace skills can make the transition into work far more achievable.

It is equally important to recognise that behind every statistic is an individual with their own story. Some young people face financial hardship, others experience health or confidence barriers, while many simply need an employer willing to offer that first opportunity. Investing in people rather than focusing solely on numbers can produce lasting benefits for individuals, employers and communities alike.

The slight reduction in NEET figures should therefore be seen as positive progress, but not the end of the challenge. Maintaining that momentum will require continued collaboration between government, employers, schools, training providers and local organisations to ensure more young people can access meaningful opportunities and build successful futures.

At I’M MORE, we believe that every young person deserves the chance to discover their potential and move towards meaningful employment. While the latest figures are encouraging, the focus must remain on creating opportunities that help young people develop confidence, gain experience and build brighter futures. Every opportunity created today has the potential to change a life tomorrow.

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