Government on right track to fix NEET challenge but must turbocharge efforts – TUC

Commenting on the latest NEET figures, which showed there were estimated to be 957,000 young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training in October to December 2025, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:  

“Any young people not in education, training or work should worry us – but this challenge didn’t come from nowhere, it’s been years in the making.  

“Today's figures show the costs young people bear from past investment failures. The toxic mix of austerity, further education and apprenticeship failure, an insecure work epidemic and stagnant economy under the Conservatives resulted in a whole generation of young people badly let down.  

“With the jobs guarantee, stronger employment rights, apprenticeship reforms and an industrial strategy this government is on the right track to turn things around - and it is welcome that rates of economic inactivity are now falling.  

“But it needs to turbocharge its efforts. The jobs guarantee can make a real difference in giving young people real experience of paid work, but it must be ambitious in scale and scope - and we need to see further apprenticeship reforms to improve access and completion rates.  

Commenting on the young people’s minimum wage rates, Paul added:  

“Young people pay the same bills as everyone else and deserve a fair wage for their work.   

“The Low Pay Commission are the independent experts and should be trusted to finish the job, setting out a plan to abolish the minimum wage youth rates this Parliament.”