Children's commissioner: NEET figures may be nearly double official count
The Children's Commissioner says official NEET figures may be nearly double the real number, with 42,000 16-17 year olds in college but not attending at least half the time.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The Children's Commissioner for England, Dame Rachel de Souza, has warned that the number of 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) could be almost twice the official figure. She said around 42,000 teenagers in that age group are classed as studying at college but were not, in fact, showing up at least half of the time. Speaking to Radio 4's Today programme, she described the situation as "terrifying" and said it was "literally doubling the NEET figures."
Official statistics put the number of NEETs aged 16-17 in England at 57,000. Adding the 42,000 would bring that to nearly 100,000. The commissioner's report also found that over 50% of young people at college were missing the equivalent of one day a fortnight. She said this level of absence would not be tolerated in the workplace.
The report highlights barriers to attending college, including mental health challenges, the cost of living and transport costs. It comes amid broader concerns about youth unemployment and the choices facing school leavers, with some commentators pointing to a difficult job market for young people.
Separately, a report in The Times has suggested that there may be 300,000 "hidden NEETs" who are not on benefits but are being subsidised by their parents, often middle-class families. This has sparked debate about whether some young people are being "killed with kindness" and whether there is enough incentive to work. However, others argue that the job market for young people is dire and that many are caught in a trap.
The government is also reviewing youth employment, with former minister Alan Milburn and former England manager Gareth Southgate visiting the Netherlands to see how it has achieved some of the lowest youth unemployment rates in Europe. In the UK, around one in eight 16 to 25 year olds are not in work or education, compared with a much smaller rate in the Netherlands.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One | GB News | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Children's Commissioner said tens of thousands of 16-17 year olds are enrolled in college but not attending regularly. | · | ||
| The Children's Commissioner warned that the number of 16-17 year old NEETs could be almost twice the official figure. | · | ||
| Around a million young people in the UK are not in work or education, about one in eight 16 to 25 year olds. | · | · | |
| Hidden NEETs often have their living expenses paid by their parents and may live at home. | · | · | |
| Over half of young people at college were missing the equivalent of one day a fortnight. | · | · | |
| The official figure for 16-17 year old NEETs in England is 57,000. | · | · | |
| The Times reported that the number of NEETs is higher than previously estimated, with 300,000 hidden because they are not claiming benefits. | · | · | |
| The youth job market is difficult, making it hard for young people to find decent work. | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
GB News focused on a Times report about 300,000 'hidden NEETs' supported by middle-class parents, using it to discuss parenting, incentives to work, and the state of the youth job market. The tone was conversational and opinionated, with hosts expressing scepticism about the figures and criticising young people for being coddled.
- “Middle-class parents are subsidising 300,000 hidden NEATS.”
- “It's killing them with kindness.”
- “But the job market for young people is pretty dire.”
BBC ONE West reported the Children's Commissioner's warning directly, with a clip of Dame Rachel de Souza and analysis from their education correspondent. They gave specific numbers, explained the official figure of 57,000, and noted the potential doubling. They also highlighted the barriers to attendance, such as mental health and cost of living.
- “Frankly, that's terrifying because they're not going to succeed.”
- “They are literally doubling the neat figures.”
- “If you look at the official statistics for the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in England who are neat, it's 57,000. Now, she's saying that, further, 42,000 should be counted alongside them.”
ITV1 reported the commissioner's warning as part of a broader story on youth unemployment, including a segment on Alan Milburn and Gareth Southgate visiting the Netherlands to study its low youth unemployment rate. They noted the overall scale of the problem, with around a million young people in the UK not in work or education, and framed the commissioner's finding as a fresh development.
- “The number of young people not in education employment or training known as NEETs could be much higher than previously thought that's the finding of the children's commissioner”
- “But we've just learned this morning that the true number not earning or learning could be even higher.”
- “There's around a million young people in the UK who are not in work or education that's around one in eight 16 to 25 year olds.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.