The proportion of 16–24-year-olds not in education, employment, or training (NEET) has been rising since 2021 and is nearing its highest level since 2014. Too often, the debate paints these young people as lazy or unmotivated. That caricature is wrong and dangerous. It ignores the real barriers many face.
Recently, I met two people who know this reality first-hand: Colin at the Derbyshire Unemployed Workers’ Centre and Christopher Nieper, Chair of the Education Trust for David Nieper Academy. Both stressed the same point – Government must work with industry to create jobs and clear pathways. When businesses, colleges and public services pull together, young people move forward. When they don’t, they stall.
Take Shaun, a motivated 22-year-old who came to my surgery desperate for stable work. He lives with severe foot problems and arthritis, making extended periods of standing painful. The only roles he finds are through agencies – unpredictable, insecure, and unwilling to make simple adjustments like providing a chair. As Colin told me, agency work has shifted from emergency stopgap to business model, offering no clear route for progression. He compared it to the old “pit butty man” system where men were hired in pubs for a day’s graft down the coal mine. It wasn’t fair then; it isn’t now.
Or Lily, a talented electrical technician who lost her apprenticeship through no fault of her own. At the Jobcentre she was met indifference when what she needed was empathy and practical help. Told to refresh her CV, she received two responses, neither leading to work. Ironically, her original CV landed her a role at Nottingham Forest Football Club, where she now thrives as a Level 3-qualified technician. Her success is remarkable – but it came despite the system, not because of it.
These stories reflect a pattern. Being NEET is rarely about a single choice; it’s the result of structural barriers. Young people without qualifications above Level 1, those with disabilities, young parents, or those with mental health conditions or SEND are all at higher risk. Disadvantages compound. The lower your qualifications and the more challenging your circumstances, the greater the risk of being shut out. Add rapid technological change, especially AI reshaping entry-level roles, and the ground has shifted under young people’s feet. Instead of blaming them for struggling to stand steady, we should redesign the ground.
That is why recent government measures matter. Merging Jobcentres with the National Careers Service will create a single platform offering personalised coaching, digital tools, and real links to employers. The Youth Guarantee, reforms to apprenticeship eligibility, and new funding for Foundation Apprenticeships will help open doors that have been stubbornly closed. These changes mean people like Lily get the support they deserve, and Shaun can speak to a work coach about stable, non-agency employment with the right adjustments.
Local progress is promising too. Derby College Group’s designation as a Construction Technical Excellence College, working with East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward and industry partners, will ensure students gain the evolving skills construction needs. And fairer funding will help councils invest in SEND provision, so children don’t fall through the cracks.
But there is more to do. First, we need a joined-up approach tackling root causes of disadvantage, learning from the independent investigation into youth inactivity and ensuring the forthcoming Schools White Paper upholds protections for children with SEND. Second, we must meet demand with flexible, inclusive opportunities. Modular training, employer-led “earn and learn” models, and better use of reasonable adjustments so disability never becomes a dead end. Third, we need to show young people where pathways lead, starting in school. Stronger links between employers and educators help students see the relevance of learning and build confidence. David Nieper Academy is a case in point. By embedding employability skills and partnering with local industry, it has achieved zero NEETs at 18 for the last two years.
We should judge our system by whether it empowers every young person to find their place and purpose. Opportunity and aspiration are not slogans, they are a contract. If we want to keep faith with the next generation, we must honour it.
Unlocking potential: why NEET young people need opportunity, not blame
