There are nearly one million young people in the UK who are not in employment, education or training (so-called Neets). After falling in number during the 2010s before the pandemic, this cohort of 16 to 24-year-olds has grown from 750,000 only six years ago. This is a worrying shift, for several reasons.

Research shows that a spell of unemployment at a young age can have outsized negative effects on the young person. Workers who were unemployed for even a short time at a young age have to contend with lower wages and poorer mental health even years later. In the three months to October, unemployment in the UK climbed to 5.1%, with young people particularly badly affected.

To address these challenges, the UK’s autumn budget introduced a package of measures intended to help young people move into stable work. The announcements include more apprenticeships, employment support and a guaranteed work placement for long-term unemployed young people.

There were also policies aimed at young people already in work. The government previously promised to abolish the

© The Conversation