- Date published:
- June 2026
- Organisation:
- Work Foundation; Lancaster University
- Authors:
- Jon Fitzmaurice, Divya Jyoti, Alice Martin, Martin Quinn, Beth Suttill, Peter Watt, Emelia Williams and Jessica Redmond
- Themes:
- Local, Young people
The number of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) has surpassed a million for the first time since 2013. At the same time, opportunities in the labour market have severely declined. Addressing this problem is complex.
To inform recent government initiatives and provide policy recommendations, this briefing by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University – in partnership with Liverpool City Council – examines how local labour markets, young people’s experiences, and employer behaviours shape NEET rates, drawing on national data and case studies from Morecambe and Liverpool.