NEET numbers could hit 1.25 million within five years, landmark review warns

A landmark independent review into youth opportunities, chaired by former Labour minister Alan Milburn, is set to publish alarming findings warning that the number of 16 to 24-year-olds classed as NEET (not in education, employment or training) could soar to 1.25 million within five years. This projection represents a significant crisis in youth transitions, requiring immediate coordination between local authorities, health services and employment providers to prevent mass economic disengagement. The review highlights systemic failures where young people fall through gaps between education and employment support, calling for fundamental reforms that reconnect health, education and skills provision. For Lead Members responsible for children's services and economic development, this signals an urgent need to examine how local areas identify at-risk young people earlier and coordinate pathways that prevent them from slipping into long-term unemployment.