Calendar year 2025

NEET age 16 to 24

Data guidance

Published

Description

This document describes the data included in the ‘NEET age 16-24’ release’s underlying data file. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License. (opens in a new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)

The methodology document published with the release should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data.

Coverage

The data used in this publication covers young people who reside in England, and is based on the academic age as at 31st August. The publication’s underlying data contains NEET and NET estimates for the age groups, 16 to 17, 16 to 18, 16 to 21, 16 to 24, 18 to 21, 18 to 24 and 19 to 24. It also includes breakdowns by sex, labour market status breakdowns and regional breakdowns.

Quarterly NEET estimates for the UK (opens in a new tab) (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) are published by the Office for National Statistics. They differ to the figures in the DfE NEET brief as they are for the whole of the UK, are based on calendar age and are seasonally adjusted.

File formats and conventions

The underlying data files contain unrounded figures as estimated from the survey data as outlined in the accompanying methodology document.

No suppression has been applied, as the data is not considered sensitive and no additional characteristic or geography variables are included to enable individuals to be accurately identified.

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

NEET and NET Estimates from the LFS

Filename
neet_and_net_estimates_from_the_lfs.csv
Geographic levels
National; Regional
Time period
2000 to 2025
Content
Not in employment, education and training (NEET) and not in education and training (NET) estimates for England and the English regions ages 16-24.
Variable names and descriptions for NEET and NET Estimates from the LFS

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
ageAge - Filter by age
employment_rate_net_percentEmployment rate as a percentage of the NET group
employment_rate_net_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the employment rate of the NET group
employment_rate_net_percent_lowerLower bound employment rate of the NET group
employment_rate_net_percent_upperUpper bound employment rate of the NET group
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_countNumber who are ILO unemployed for less than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number unemployed for less than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_count_lowerLower bound number ILO unemployed less 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_count_upperUpper bound number ILO unemployed less 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_percentPercentage of population ILO unemployed for less than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage unemployed for less than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_percent_lowerLower bound percent ILO unemployed less 6 months
ilo_unemployed_less_6months_percent_upperUpper bound percent ILO unemployed less 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_countNumber who are ILO unemployed for more than 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number unemployed for more than 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_count_lowerLower bound number ILO unemployed more 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_count_upperUpper bound number ILO unemployed more 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_percentPercentage of population ILO unemployed for more than 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage unemployed for more than 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_percent_lowerLower bound percent ILO unemployed more 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_12months_percent_upperUpper bound percent ILO unemployed more 12 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_countNumber who are ILO unemployed for more than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number unemployed for more than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_count_lowerLower bound number ILO unemployed more 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_count_upperUpper bound number ILO unemployed more 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_percentPercentage of population ILO unemployed for more than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage unemployed for more than 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_percent_lowerLower bound percent ILO unemployed more 6 months
ilo_unemployed_more_6months_percent_upperUpper bound percent ILO unemployed more 6 months
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_countNumber who were inactive and does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number inactive and does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_count_lowerLower bound number inactive does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_count_upperUpper bound number inactive does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_percentPercentage of population who were inactive and does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage inactive and does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_percent_lowerLower bound percent inactive does not want a job
inactive_does_not_want_a_job_percent_upperUpper bound percent inactive does not want a job
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_countNumber where inactivity was due to long-term or temporarily sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number inactive due to long-term or temp sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_count_lowerLower bound number inactive due to long-term or temporary sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_count_upperUpper bound number inactive due to long-term or temporary sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_percentPercentage of population where inactivity due to long-term or temporarily sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for percentage inactive due to long-term or temp sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_percent_lowerLower bound percent inactive due to long-term or temporary sick
inactive_longterm_temp_sick_percent_upperUpper bound percent inactive due to long-term or temporary sick
inactive_look_after_fam_home_countNumber where inactivity was due to looking after family/home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number inactive due to look after family/home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_count_lowerLower bound number inactive due to looking after family or home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_count_upperUpper bound number inactive due to looking after family or home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_percentPercentage of population where inactivity was due to looking after family/home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for percentage inactive due to look after family/home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_percent_lowerLower bound percent inactive due to looking after family or home
inactive_look_after_fam_home_percent_upperUpper bound percent inactive due to looking after family or home
inactive_other_countNumber where inactivity was due to other
inactive_other_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number inactive due to other
inactive_other_count_lowerLower bound number inactive due to other
inactive_other_count_upperUpper bound number inactive due to other
inactive_other_percentPercentage of population where inactivity was due to other
inactive_other_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage inactive due to other
inactive_other_percent_lowerLower bound percent inactive due to other
inactive_other_percent_upperUpper bound percent inactive due to other
inactive_wants_a_job_countNumber who were inactive and want a job
inactive_wants_a_job_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number inactive and want a job
inactive_wants_a_job_count_lowerLower bound number inactive wants a job
inactive_wants_a_job_count_upperUpper bound number inactive wants a job
inactive_wants_a_job_lowerLower bound percent inactive wants a job
inactive_wants_a_job_percentPercentage of population who were inactive and want a job
inactive_wants_a_job_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage inactive and wants a job
inactive_wants_a_job_upperUpper bound percent inactive wants a job
neet_countNumber NEET
neet_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number of NEET
neet_count_lowerLower bound number NEET
neet_count_upperUpper bound number NEET
neet_percentPercentage of population NEET
neet_percent_annual_changeAnnual change in NEET rate
neet_percent_annual_change_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the annual change in NEET rate
neet_percent_annual_change_lowerLower bound annual change in NEET rate
neet_percent_annual_change_upperUpper bound annual change in NEET rate
neet_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage NEET
neet_percent_lowerLower bound percent NEET
neet_percent_upperUpper bound percent NEET
net_countNumber NET
net_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number NET
net_count_lowerLower bound number NET
net_count_upperUpper bound number NET
net_percentPercentage of population NET
net_percent_annual_changeAnnual change in NET rate
net_percent_annual_change_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the annual change in NET rate
net_percent_annual_change_lowerLower bound annual change in NET rate
net_percent_annual_change_upperUpper bound annual change in NET rate
net_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage NET
net_percent_lowerLower bound percent NET
net_percent_upperUpper bound percent NET
population_countPopulation (ONS estimate)
quarterQuarter - Filter by quarter of the year (Q4 used in analysis)
sample_size_countSample size
sexSex - Filter by sex
Footnotes for NEET and NET Estimates from the LFS
  1. LFS data has been reweighted from January 2019 onwards. There is a discontinuity in the timeseries at this point and comparisons to earlier data should be considered with caution.
  2. All estimates should be viewed alongside associated 95% confidence intervals as shown in the underlying data.

NEET Primary Health Conditions Estimates from the APS

Filename
NEET_Primary_health_condition_estimates_from_the_APS_2025.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2012 to 2025
Content
Numbers and proportions of those aged 16 to 24 by health condition and NEET status from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
Variable names and descriptions for NEET Primary Health Conditions Estimates from the APS

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
health_conditionHealth condition - Filter by category of main health condition reported by respondent
percent_of_neetPercent of those NEET (in selected category)
population_countNumber (in selected category)
population_count_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the number of 16 to 24 year olds
population_count_lowerLower bound confidence interval (95%) for the number of 16 to 24 year olds
population_count_upperUpper bound confidence interval (95%) for the number of 16 to 24 year olds
population_percentPercent of population (in selected category)
population_percent_ci_plusminusConfidence interval (95%) for the percentage of 16 to 24 year olds
population_percent_lowerLower bound confidence interval (95%) for the percentage of 16 to 24 year olds
population_percent_upperUpper bound confidence interval (95%) for the percentage of 16 to 24 year olds
sample_size_countNumber of 16 to 24 year olds surveyed
total_neet_netActivity status - Filter by NEET, NET or Total population estimates
Footnotes for NEET Primary Health Conditions Estimates from the APS
  1. All estimates should be viewed alongside associated 95% confidence intervals as shown in the underlying data.
  2. The overall NEET rate from the Annual Population Survey (APS) will differ from the NEET rate from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) due to the different time periods covered
  3. The “Autism (including Autism Spectrum Condition, Asperger syndrome)” category was introduced to the APS in January 2020. Prior to 2020, respondents with Autism may or may not have reported this as 'Learning difficulties' depending on their interpretation of their health condition.

Other sources comparison

Filename
neet_and_net_other_sources_comparison.csv
Geographic levels
National
Time period
2000 to 2025
Content
Summary NEET estimates from DfE NEET publications and also Office for National Statistic's quarterly “Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)” release used to provide comparison between the different NEET measures.
Variable names and descriptions for Other sources comparison

Variable names and descriptions for this file are provided below:

Variable nameVariable description
ageAge group - Filter by age group. Not all comparisons are possible with either age selection.
lfs_neet_percentDfE LFS NEET
lfs_neet_percent_lowerDfE LFS NEET lower bound (95% confidence interval)
lfs_neet_percent_upperDfE LFS NEET upper bound (95% confidence interval)
lfs_net_percentDfE LFS NET
nccis_neet_nk_percentNCCIS NEET/not known
ons_lfs_neet_percentONS LFS UK NEET seasonally adjusted
Participation_neet_percentParticipation release NEET
Participation_net_percentParticipation release NET
quarterQuarter of the year - Filter by quarter of the year. Not all comparisons are possible with all quarters.
Footnotes for Other sources comparison
  1. LFS data has been reweighted from January 2019 onwards. There is a discontinuity in the timeseries at this point and comparisons to earlier data should be considered with caution.