Headline evidence · Jobs & pay · UK · people aged 16–64 · June to August 2026

2.7 million working-age people are out of work through long-term sickness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019.

About 2.7 million people of working age are not working and not looking for work because of long-term illness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019. The overall share outside the labour market has barely moved. Unemployment is a smaller, separate group.

Proposed outcome: Help people find suitable, lasting work and better pay, with extra support for young people. What could change →

Geography
United Kingdom
Evidence period
June to August 2026
Evidence status
Survey-based
Editorial review
Reviewed 9 October 2026

The short version

Survey-based evidence
Labour Force SurveyA household survey of people living in private households in the UK; estimates have sampling uncertainty and are revised.

How many young people are outside work, education or training?

981,000 young people are missing out on work and learning

United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 (quarterly)

1996–2026 · recorded figures. Shading marks years without figures: this series starts in 2001.

Per cent of all people aged 16–2410%15%axis does not start at 020002010202013.0%Jul–Sep 2011: 16.9%Apr–Jun 2021: 9.7%981,000 people

More young people are outside work and learning than at the recent low. The survey is less reliable for small short-term changes, and older figures were measured differently.

Show the workings — 981,000 young people are missing out on work and learning

Young people aged 16–24 not in education, employment or training, as a percentage of ALL people aged 16–24, UK, seasonally adjusted, quarterly, Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026. The latest count is printed beside the end of the line.

The estimated share was 9.7% in April to June 2021 and 13.0% in April to June 2026. These point estimates indicate a higher level than the post-2019 low, but recent sampling volatility limits short-term conclusions. The latest level has a 95% interval of about ±0.9 percentage points; that is not a significance test for the change. A weighting break in 2019 means earlier levels provide historical context rather than a directly comparable benchmark.

Geography:
United Kingdom — All people aged 16–24 (the denominator includes students and workers)
Measure:
Per cent of all people aged 16–24
Period:
Oct–Dec 2001 to Apr–Jun 2026 (quarterly)
Status:
Survey-based
Calculation:
As published (Table 1, people, seasonally adjusted). Rate to one decimal place.
Compare with:
The Jul–Sep 2011 peak (16.9%) and the Apr–Jun 2021 low (9.7%)
Not included / breaks:
ONS reweighted the survey from January–March 2019, causing a step change, so the line is broken there; compare levels either side with care. Mid-2023 and 2024 estimates remain volatile. NEET is not a narrower unemployment rate: it uses all young people as the denominator, and most NEET young people are not unemployed but economically inactive.

Source: ONS, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK, Table 1 (seasonally adjusted) (released 27 August 2026).

View the data as a table
QuarterNEET rate (%)NEET (thousands)
Oct–Dec 200112.9833
Jan–Mar 200213.3859
Apr–Jun 200213.4873
Jul–Sep 200213.3873
Oct–Dec 200212.7836
Jan–Mar 200313.5893
Apr–Jun 200313.4891
Jul–Sep 200313.1877
Oct–Dec 200312.6847
Jan–Mar 200412.4836
Apr–Jun 200412.9879
Jul–Sep 200413.4918
Oct–Dec 200413.4922
Jan–Mar 200513.4925
Apr–Jun 200513.7947
Jul–Sep 200513.5935
Oct–Dec 200514.41,003
Jan–Mar 200614.1984
Apr–Jun 200614.61,022
Jul–Sep 200614.31,006
Oct–Dec 200613.8979
Jan–Mar 200714.11,000
Apr–Jun 200714.11,004
Jul–Sep 200713.7983
Oct–Dec 200713.4965
Jan–Mar 200813.4966
Apr–Jun 200813.8998
Jul–Sep 200814.31,034
Oct–Dec 200814.21,025
Jan–Mar 200915.11,097
Apr–Jun 200915.61,128
Jul–Sep 200915.41,122
Oct–Dec 200914.91,083
Jan–Mar 201015.51,128
Apr–Jun 201014.71,074
Jul–Sep 201015.31,120
Oct–Dec 201015.91,164
Jan–Mar 201115.31,125
Apr–Jun 201115.81,164
Jul–Sep 201116.91,246
Oct–Dec 201116.51,212
Jan–Mar 201216.21,193
Apr–Jun 201216.21,192
Jul–Sep 201215.01,104
Oct–Dec 201214.81,084
Jan–Mar 201315.01,100
Apr–Jun 201314.91,089
Jul–Sep 201314.91,092
Oct–Dec 201314.21,038
Jan–Mar 201413.4979
Apr–Jun 201413.2963
Jul–Sep 201413.3967
Oct–Dec 201413.3971
Jan–Mar 201512.8934
Apr–Jun 201512.7919
Jul–Sep 201511.8856
Oct–Dec 201511.9858
Jan–Mar 201612.0866
Apr–Jun 201611.7844
Jul–Sep 201612.0860
Oct–Dec 201611.5822
Jan–Mar 201711.2795
Apr–Jun 201711.2791
Jul–Sep 201711.3796
Oct–Dec 201711.3793
Jan–Mar 201811.4798
Apr–Jun 201811.1778
Jul–Sep 201810.9758
Oct–Dec 201811.3789
Jan–Mar 201911.2782
Apr–Jun 201911.5808
Jul–Sep 201911.5806
Oct–Dec 201910.8750
Jan–Mar 202011.4797
Apr–Jun 202011.6808
Jul–Sep 202011.2777
Oct–Dec 202011.8818
Jan–Mar 202110.7745
Apr–Jun 20219.7675
Jul–Sep 202110.2708
Oct–Dec 202110.3724
Jan–Mar 202210.6743
Apr–Jun 202210.5742
Jul–Sep 202210.4734
Oct–Dec 202211.9842
Jan–Mar 202311.6826
Apr–Jun 202311.7839
Jul–Sep 202311.9855
Oct–Dec 202312.1876
Jan–Mar 202412.9936
Apr–Jun 202412.6920
Jul–Sep 202412.9950
Oct–Dec 202413.3981
Jan–Mar 202512.3912
Apr–Jun 202512.8951
Jul–Sep 202512.6943
Oct–Dec 202512.8958
Jan–Mar 202613.51,011
Apr–Jun 202613.0981

Budget 2026 · 28 October 2026

What the Budget means for jobs & pay

5

Budget measures on this topic

£0

No net effect, 2026–27

£235m

Net cost, 2029–30

Biggest single-year effect of each measure · red costs money, teal saves or raises it

  • Spring 2026 Youth Employment and Skills Package2028–29−£375m
  • Trading Allowance2028–29−£225m
  • Parental Pay2029–30−£70m
  • Youth Employment and Skills2028–29−£70m
  • Skills2027–28−£20m
All 5 measures on this topic
The Budget in 2 minutes →Is it being delivered? →

Treasury costings certified by the OBR, not measured results. Topic links are UK Facts’ classification.

The evidence

Getting a first job, holding on to one through illness, and earning enough to get ahead are different challenges. The unemployment rate alone cannot tell all three stories.

Different age groups and periods; these figures overlap and must not be added. Recent labour-market estimates are uncertain: focus on the longer pattern, not a single quarter.

Outside the labour market: who, why and where

Being economically inactive means neither working nor looking for work. It is the larger of the two groups outside work, about five times the number of unemployed people. But it is not all a problem: about two in five inactive people are students or retired. The part that has grown is long-term sickness, up about a third since late 2019. Fewer people are looking after family or home. Unemployment is a different group, people who are looking for work, and it has risen more as a share of the labour force.

Inactive (not looking or not available), 16 to 64

9.1 million people. The rate is nearly unchanged since 2019.

  • Late 201920.6%
  • Now20.9%

Unemployed (looking and available), 16 and over

1.7 million people. The rate is a percentage of people in the labour force, so it is not comparable in size with the left chart.

  • Late 20193.7%
  • Now4.7%

Economically inactive people aged 16 to 64 by main reason, October to December 2019 and June to August 2026. Long-term sickness is up 658 thousand. Students and retirees are not a problem count: they are about two-fifths of the total.

  • Long-term sick, 20192.08m
  • Long-term sick, 20262.74m
  • Students, 20192.30m
  • Students, 20262.45m
  • Looking after family or home, 20191.92m
  • Looking after family or home, 20261.56m
  • Retired, 20191.13m
  • Retired, 20261.08m
  • Other, 20190.95m
  • Other, 20261.04m
  • Temporarily sick, 20190.16m
  • Temporarily sick, 20260.19m

Illness-related inactivity was estimated to cost about £212bn a year in the Keep Britain Working review. Keep Britain Working review (Nov 2025): about £212bn a year, about 7% of GDP, including employers about £85bn. An estimate with a wide range; not a saving available from policy.

Who is affected most

Women are still more likely to be inactive than men, but the gap has narrowed from 17 points in 1996 to about 7. Rates are highest in the North East and lowest in the South West and South East. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women’s caring and study account for much of the highest ethnic-group rate. County figures have wide margins of error, so we show ranges, not a league table. The Annual Population Survey is a sample, and small groups and small areas carry large uncertainty.

By sex

Inactivity rate, 16 to 64. The gap has narrowed from 17 points to about 7. Since 2019 men’s rate rose (16.2% to 17.4%) and women’s fell (24.6% to 24.2%).

  • Women, 199632.2%
  • Women, now24.3%
  • Men, 199615.2%
  • Men, now17.5%

By ethnic group

July 2025 to June 2026, UK, aged 16 to 64. Rates are for inactivity of any reason, including students and caring. Intervals include only count error; the true margins are wider for small groups.

  • Pakistani or Bangladeshi33%±3
  • Mixed27%±3
  • Other (includes Chinese and Arab)25%±2
  • Black22%±2
  • White20%±0
  • Indian17%±2

UK nations and England’s regions

Inactivity rate, 16 to 64, July 2025 to June 2026 (Annual Population Survey; rates derived from counts).

  • UK20.9%
  • Wales23.7%
  • Scotland22.4%
  • Northern Ireland24.7%
  • England: North East24.3%
  • England: North West22.4%
  • England: Yorkshire and The Humber22.4%
  • England: West Midlands22.0%
  • England: East Midlands20.6%
  • England: London20.6%
  • England: East of England18.7%
  • England: South East18.2%
  • England: South West18.1%

North, Midlands and South

The North is 3.7 points higher than the South. Our grouping, not an ONS definition. North = North East, North West and Yorkshire and The Humber. Midlands = East and West Midlands. South = East of England, London, South East and South West. Pooled from summed counts, never an average of rates.

  • North22.7%
  • Midlands21.4%
  • South19.1%

By age

Inactivity rate by age. Inactivity is highest among 16 to 19s (mostly in study) and 50 to 64s. A 2024 Resolution Foundation analysis found these two groups accounted for 90% of the rise since 2019; that has not been recomputed for 2026.

  • 16 to 1960%mostly full-time students
  • 20 to 2426%
  • 25 to 3412%
  • 35 to 4912%
  • 50 to 6426%

County by county: lowest and highest

October 2024 to September 2025, English county council areas, five lowest then five highest of those listed. County council areas with wide sampling intervals (about plus or minus 2 points for Hampshire). Shown as ranges, not a league table.

  • Gloucestershire15.8%
  • Buckinghamshire15.9%
  • Hertfordshire16.2%
  • Oxfordshire16.2%
  • Warwickshire16.5%
  • Nottinghamshire22.5%
  • Lincolnshire22.1%
  • Kent21.8%
  • North Yorkshire21.5%
  • East Sussex21.4%

How the UK compares with the G7

The UK is the only G7 country where the inactivity rate is higher than in 2019, though only by 0.2 points. Germany, Japan, France and Italy have all seen employment rise. UK unemployment rose by about a point; Canada’s rose more.

Inactivity rate, ages 15 to 64. The UK is the only G7 country where it is higher than in 2019, by 0.2 points. The UK level is mid-table. Rates differ by a few tenths from ONS headline figures because of the age band; US 2024.

  • Italy, 201934.3%
  • Italy, 202533.3%
  • France, 201927.4%
  • France, 202524.9%
  • United States, 201925.9%
  • United States, 202425.1%
  • United Kingdom, 201920.8%
  • United Kingdom, 202521.0%
  • Canada, 201920.9%
  • Canada, 202520.2%
  • Germany, 201922.9%
  • Germany, 202519.7%
  • Japan, 201920.2%
  • Japan, 202517.7%

OECD, Short-term labour market statistics, ages 15 to 64 (rates derived from levels). National surveys differ in design and quality.

A route into work or learning is missing for too many.

Leaving education does not always lead straight to a job. Some young people are searching; others face barriers that job adverts alone cannot solve. Start with how many are outside both work and learning.

Annual data: Young people outside work and learning

Each year uses April–June, not an annual average or sum of overlapping quarters. The published quarterly record starts in late 2001, so these April–June snapshots begin in 2002. There is no comparable 1996 NEET observation in this source. Reweighting creates a break from January–March 2019; do not interpret a difference across it as wholly real change. Recent LFS estimates remain volatile, especially mid-2023 and 2024. A dash means no comparable observation is supplied; it is not zero. United Kingdom, all people aged 16–24, seasonally adjusted. NEET includes unemployed and economically inactive people.

1996–2026; April–June snapshots: per cent and thousand people. No change is calculated across definition or assessment breaks.

Young people outside work and learning; April–June snapshots: per cent and thousand people
YearNEET (%)NEET (thousands)
1996–2001No comparable observations supplied
200213.4872.9
200313.4891.1
200412.9879.2
200513.7946.9
200614.61,021.5
200714.11,004.2
200813.8998.3
200915.61,127.8
201014.71,073.8
201115.81,164.3
201216.21,191.8
201314.91,089.2
201413.2963.2
201512.7919.1
201611.7844.3
201711.2791.3
201811.1778.2
201911.5807.9
202011.6807.7
20219.7674.6
202210.5741.5
202311.7838.9
202412.6919.9
202512.8950.9
202613980.7

Same headline. Different barriers.

Looking for a job is only part of the story.

Of the 981,000 young people outside work, education and training in Apr–Jun 2026:

393,000

Were looking for work and available to start

For this group, finding a suitable vacancy and a chance to build experience matter.

588,000

Were not looking or not available to start

This includes different circumstances, such as ill health or caring. This table does not tell us how many face each barrier.

What could help young people find a route in? →
Why this differs from the unemployment rate

“NEET” means not in education, employment or training. Its rate counts all 16–24-year-olds. Youth unemployment is 15.6% (June to August 2026), but counts only those working or looking for work, including students seeking a part-time job. The rates have different denominators.

Illness can close the door to work. Support has to help reopen it.

For someone managing a health condition, being told to find a job may miss the immediate problem. Treatment, workplace adjustments and suitable hours can matter alongside employment support. The figures show the scale of the challenge, not a verdict on anyone’s willingness to work.

Survey-based evidence
ONS Labour Force SurveySurvey estimate. Sampling, non-response and revisions affect precision.

Is ill health keeping more people out of work?

2.74 million people are out of work through long-term sickness, up from 2.08 million before Covid

United Kingdom · 2000 to Jun–Aug 2026

1996–2026 · recorded figures. Shading marks years without figures: this series starts in 2000.

Millions of people aged 16–641.5m2.0m2.5m3.0maxis does not start at 02000201020202.74mPeak 2.85m

Long-term sickness keeps far more people out of work than before the pandemic. The number has eased from its peak, but these figures cannot tell us how much each possible cause matters.

Show the workings — 2.74 million people are out of work through long-term sickness, up from 2.08 million before Covid

People aged 16–64 who are economically inactive — not working and not seeking work or not available to start — because of long-term sickness, UK, seasonally adjusted, rolling three-month estimates, 2000 to June to August 2026.

The number out of work through long-term sickness barely moved for a decade, then rose by about 660,000 after 2019. It peaked in Sep–Nov 2023 and has edged down since, but remains far above its pre-pandemic level. The survey cannot say why: mental health conditions, longer NHS waits and an older workforce are all associated with the rise, and their relative weight is still being researched.

Geography:
United Kingdom — People aged 16–64
Measure:
Millions of people
Period:
2000 to Jun–Aug 2026
Status:
Official statistics, Labour Force Survey; ONS advises caution over short-term changes
Calculation:
As published (LF69, thousands) divided by 1,000. Each point is a three-month window, plotted at its final month.
Compare with:
October–December 2019, 2.08 million; peak 2.85 million in Sep–Nov 2023
Not included / breaks:
Counts only people whose MAIN reason for inactivity is long-term sickness; people working with a health condition, and the unemployed, are not in it. A different measure from the unemployment rate — do not add them together.

Source: ONS, Labour Force Survey: economically inactive because of long-term sickness, 16–64, LF69 (released 15 September 2026).

View the data as a table
Three months toLong-term sick (thousands)
Nov–Jan 20002,291
Dec–Feb 20002,295
Jan–Mar 20002,306
Feb–Apr 20002,312
Mar–May 20002,302
Apr–Jun 20002,290
May–Jul 20002,288
Jun–Aug 20002,303
Jul–Sep 20002,310
Aug–Oct 20002,318
Sep–Nov 20002,355
Oct–Dec 20002,341
Nov–Jan 20012,336
Dec–Feb 20012,337
Jan–Mar 20012,342
Feb–Apr 20012,341
Mar–May 20012,349
Apr–Jun 20012,341
May–Jul 20012,363
Jun–Aug 20012,365
Jul–Sep 20012,370
Aug–Oct 20012,391
Sep–Nov 20012,387
Oct–Dec 20012,384
Nov–Jan 20022,385
Dec–Feb 20022,382
Jan–Mar 20022,384
Feb–Apr 20022,361
Mar–May 20022,369
Apr–Jun 20022,362
May–Jul 20022,360
Jun–Aug 20022,316
Jul–Sep 20022,307
Aug–Oct 20022,293
Sep–Nov 20022,291
Oct–Dec 20022,283
Nov–Jan 20032,314
Dec–Feb 20032,323
Jan–Mar 20032,307
Feb–Apr 20032,284
Mar–May 20032,271
Apr–Jun 20032,261
May–Jul 20032,263
Jun–Aug 20032,257
Jul–Sep 20032,266
Aug–Oct 20032,293
Sep–Nov 20032,299
Oct–Dec 20032,301
Nov–Jan 20042,273
Dec–Feb 20042,273
Jan–Mar 20042,279
Feb–Apr 20042,304
Mar–May 20042,309
Apr–Jun 20042,315
May–Jul 20042,320
Jun–Aug 20042,338
Jul–Sep 20042,339
Aug–Oct 20042,324
Sep–Nov 20042,314
Oct–Dec 20042,307
Nov–Jan 20052,292
Dec–Feb 20052,283
Jan–Mar 20052,285
Feb–Apr 20052,327
Mar–May 20052,311
Apr–Jun 20052,296
May–Jul 20052,266
Jun–Aug 20052,256
Jul–Sep 20052,248
Aug–Oct 20052,265
Sep–Nov 20052,264
Oct–Dec 20052,255
Nov–Jan 20062,247
Dec–Feb 20062,229
Jan–Mar 20062,223
Feb–Apr 20062,211
Mar–May 20062,233
Apr–Jun 20062,242
May–Jul 20062,227
Jun–Aug 20062,198
Jul–Sep 20062,194
Aug–Oct 20062,214
Sep–Nov 20062,229
Oct–Dec 20062,228
Nov–Jan 20072,214
Dec–Feb 20072,245
Jan–Mar 20072,242
Feb–Apr 20072,247
Mar–May 20072,211
Apr–Jun 20072,209
May–Jul 20072,216
Jun–Aug 20072,215
Jul–Sep 20072,200
Aug–Oct 20072,201
Sep–Nov 20072,202
Oct–Dec 20072,220
Nov–Jan 20082,228
Dec–Feb 20082,215
Jan–Mar 20082,224
Feb–Apr 20082,221
Mar–May 20082,196
Apr–Jun 20082,174
May–Jul 20082,175
Jun–Aug 20082,201
Jul–Sep 20082,227
Aug–Oct 20082,197
Sep–Nov 20082,182
Oct–Dec 20082,149
Nov–Jan 20092,163
Dec–Feb 20092,173
Jan–Mar 20092,160
Feb–Apr 20092,145
Mar–May 20092,153
Apr–Jun 20092,144
May–Jul 20092,156
Jun–Aug 20092,179
Jul–Sep 20092,191
Aug–Oct 20092,168
Sep–Nov 20092,184
Oct–Dec 20092,178
Nov–Jan 20102,175
Dec–Feb 20102,181
Jan–Mar 20102,205
Feb–Apr 20102,228
Mar–May 20102,233
Apr–Jun 20102,246
May–Jul 20102,234
Jun–Aug 20102,228
Jul–Sep 20102,224
Aug–Oct 20102,228
Sep–Nov 20102,230
Oct–Dec 20102,230
Nov–Jan 20112,205
Dec–Feb 20112,183
Jan–Mar 20112,190
Feb–Apr 20112,191
Mar–May 20112,192
Apr–Jun 20112,189
May–Jul 20112,191
Jun–Aug 20112,189
Jul–Sep 20112,189
Aug–Oct 20112,186
Sep–Nov 20112,175
Oct–Dec 20112,139
Nov–Jan 20122,121
Dec–Feb 20122,154
Jan–Mar 20122,156
Feb–Apr 20122,159
Mar–May 20122,164
Apr–Jun 20122,140
May–Jul 20122,125
Jun–Aug 20122,072
Jul–Sep 20122,064
Aug–Oct 20122,087
Sep–Nov 20122,062
Oct–Dec 20122,052
Nov–Jan 20132,046
Dec–Feb 20132,053
Jan–Mar 20132,070
Feb–Apr 20132,060
Mar–May 20132,059
Apr–Jun 20132,064
May–Jul 20132,013
Jun–Aug 20132,007
Jul–Sep 20131,984
Aug–Oct 20131,974
Sep–Nov 20132,016
Oct–Dec 20132,043
Nov–Jan 20142,041
Dec–Feb 20142,007
Jan–Mar 20141,996
Feb–Apr 20141,998
Mar–May 20141,990
Apr–Jun 20141,991
May–Jul 20142,027
Jun–Aug 20142,018
Jul–Sep 20142,022
Aug–Oct 20142,024
Sep–Nov 20142,039
Oct–Dec 20142,036
Nov–Jan 20152,028
Dec–Feb 20152,024
Jan–Mar 20152,026
Feb–Apr 20152,042
Mar–May 20152,075
Apr–Jun 20152,085
May–Jul 20152,094
Jun–Aug 20152,102
Jul–Sep 20152,111
Aug–Oct 20152,078
Sep–Nov 20152,088
Oct–Dec 20152,074
Nov–Jan 20162,105
Dec–Feb 20162,081
Jan–Mar 20162,100
Feb–Apr 20162,089
Mar–May 20162,055
Apr–Jun 20162,042
May–Jul 20162,035
Jun–Aug 20162,009
Jul–Sep 20162,007
Aug–Oct 20161,990
Sep–Nov 20161,999
Oct–Dec 20161,959
Nov–Jan 20171,991
Dec–Feb 20171,985
Jan–Mar 20171,991
Feb–Apr 20171,979
Mar–May 20171,994
Apr–Jun 20171,982
May–Jul 20172,007
Jun–Aug 20172,023
Jul–Sep 20172,055
Aug–Oct 20172,032
Sep–Nov 20171,982
Oct–Dec 20171,997
Nov–Jan 20181,987
Dec–Feb 20181,984
Jan–Mar 20181,977
Feb–Apr 20181,986
Mar–May 20182,004
Apr–Jun 20182,043
May–Jul 20182,049
Jun–Aug 20182,032
Jul–Sep 20182,000
Aug–Oct 20181,983
Sep–Nov 20181,992
Oct–Dec 20182,007
Nov–Jan 20192,006
Dec–Feb 20191,979
Jan–Mar 20192,012
Feb–Apr 20191,983
Mar–May 20192,026
Apr–Jun 20192,030
May–Jul 20192,062
Jun–Aug 20192,067
Jul–Sep 20192,062
Aug–Oct 20192,089
Sep–Nov 20192,086
Oct–Dec 20192,080
Nov–Jan 20202,117
Dec–Feb 20202,118
Jan–Mar 20202,229
Feb–Apr 20202,243
Mar–May 20202,234
Apr–Jun 20202,233
May–Jul 20202,262
Jun–Aug 20202,288
Jul–Sep 20202,327
Aug–Oct 20202,320
Sep–Nov 20202,291
Oct–Dec 20202,328
Nov–Jan 20212,297
Dec–Feb 20212,263
Jan–Mar 20212,307
Feb–Apr 20212,288
Mar–May 20212,313
Apr–Jun 20212,297
May–Jul 20212,326
Jun–Aug 20212,376
Jul–Sep 20212,396
Aug–Oct 20212,400
Sep–Nov 20212,446
Oct–Dec 20212,436
Nov–Jan 20222,446
Dec–Feb 20222,460
Jan–Mar 20222,440
Feb–Apr 20222,466
Mar–May 20222,443
Apr–Jun 20222,506
May–Jul 20222,581
Jun–Aug 20222,639
Jul–Sep 20222,636
Aug–Oct 20222,586
Sep–Nov 20222,561
Oct–Dec 20222,586
Nov–Jan 20232,670
Dec–Feb 20232,706
Jan–Mar 20232,699
Feb–Apr 20232,689
Mar–May 20232,665
Apr–Jun 20232,706
May–Jul 20232,735
Jun–Aug 20232,737
Jul–Sep 20232,742
Aug–Oct 20232,824
Sep–Nov 20232,850
Oct–Dec 20232,849
Nov–Jan 20242,821
Dec–Feb 20242,842
Jan–Mar 20242,824
Feb–Apr 20242,830
Mar–May 20242,829
Apr–Jun 20242,824
May–Jul 20242,835
Jun–Aug 20242,796
Jul–Sep 20242,793
Aug–Oct 20242,798
Sep–Nov 20242,805
Oct–Dec 20242,776
Nov–Jan 20252,812
Dec–Feb 20252,784
Jan–Mar 20252,775
Feb–Apr 20252,782
Mar–May 20252,776
Apr–Jun 20252,780
May–Jul 20252,792
Jun–Aug 20252,824
Jul–Sep 20252,826
Aug–Oct 20252,818
Sep–Nov 20252,800
Oct–Dec 20252,786
Nov–Jan 20262,785
Dec–Feb 20262,792
Jan–Mar 20262,772
Feb–Apr 20262,772
Mar–May 20262,747
Apr–Jun 20262,774
May–Jul 20262,780
Jun–Aug 20262,738

Keeping a job matters as much as getting one.

This count excludes people already working with a health condition. It also cannot show whether treatment or an adjustment would enable someone to work. Those questions need evidence about support and outcomes.

Health, work and support →

A job should be a way forward. What does the pay actually buy?

A bigger payslip can still leave a household struggling if prices have risen too. This chart removes inflation, showing how slowly average spending power has improved since the financial crisis.

Survey-based evidence
ONS Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey + consumer price indexSurvey-based mean earnings, adjusted for prices. Not the same as median pay.

Has pay kept up with prices?

Average real pay is 4.6% above 2007, 18 years on

Average weekly earnings including bonuses, whole economy, adjusted for prices using CPIHA measure of consumer-price inflation that includes owner-occupiers’ housing costs and Council Tax. Housing costs use a rental-equivalence estimate, not mortgage payments.ONS: definition and context → to 2015 prices, Great Britain, annual averages, 2000–2025.

Great Britain · 2000–2025

1996–2026 · recorded figures. Shading marks years without figures: this series starts in 2000.

Average weekly pay · £ at 2015 prices£400£450£500£550axis does not start at 0200020102020£528.002007 buying power
Real pay fell for years after the financial crisis, to a low in 2014, recovered slowly, first passed its 2007 level in 2021 (pandemic job losses fell mostly on lower-paid workers, which lifted the average), dipped when inflation spiked in 2022, and is now 4.6% above 2007. Nearly two decades brought little extra buying power on average.
Show the workings — Average real pay is 4.6% above 2007, 18 years on
Geography:
Great Britain — Employees (not the self-employed)
Measure:
£ a week at 2015 prices
Period:
2000–2025
Status:
Official statistics
Calculation:
Annual average of the monthly A3WX series. Real and nominal pay are never compared on this chart.
Compare with:
2007: £505 a week; low £473 in 2014
Not included / breaks:
An average (mean) across employees, pulled up by high earners; says nothing about how pay is distributed, about the self-employed, or about Northern Ireland.

Source: ONS, Average Weekly Earnings in real terms (2015 prices), A3WX.

View the data as a table
Year£ a week (2015 prices)
2000427
2001442
2002449
2003457
2004471
2005482
2006493
2007505
2008505
2009495
2010494
2011487
2012481
2013475
2014473
2015483
2016490
2017489
2018492
2019500
2020504
2021520
2022512
2023514
2024524
2025528

Finding enough work

Are there jobs — and enough hours?

A job count cannot show whether someone gets the hours they want. Explore vacancies, unemployment and involuntary part-time work.

Jobs and hours →

What is left to live on

The same wage can buy very different lives.

Rent, mortgage payments, family size and other income shape what remains after the bills. Compare the household stories.

Living standards →

Why it is happening

Our analysis

Many people outside work are not in a position to start immediately. Health, caring responsibilities, suitable jobs and access to individual support all matter.

Read the options, evidence and limits below.

Who is affected most

The transition out of education is the pressure point.

The risk is higher after age 18. These groups overlap: the chart compares rates within each group, rather than adding up separate groups of people. Each dot is a percentage of its own group.

Survey-based evidence
Labour Force SurveyA household survey of people living in private households in the UK; estimates have sampling uncertainty and are revised.

Who is most likely to miss out on work and learning?

15.2% of 18–24-year-olds are outside work and learning

United Kingdom · Apr–Jun 2026 and a year earlier
Apr–Jun 2026A year earlierAll 16–24, 13.0%
  • Aged 18–2415.2%
  • Young men, 16–2413.7%
  • All aged 16–2413.0%
  • Young women, 16–2412.3%
  • Aged 16–175.3%

Young adults are more likely to miss out on work and learning after compulsory education ends. Most are not currently looking for work or able to start. Small annual survey changes may be noise.

Show the workings — 15.2% of 18–24-year-olds are outside work and learning

NEET rate by age group and sex, UK, April to June 2026 (filled dot) and a year earlier (open dot). Each group's own population is the denominator.

The risk sits overwhelmingly with 18–24-year-olds, after compulsory education or training ends in England. Young men are more likely than young women to be NEET, and most NEET young people are economically inactive rather than unemployed: 588,000 are economically inactive and 393,000 unemployed. These are survey estimates: a confidence interval around one level does not show whether a change between two periods is significant, so small year-to-year movements should not be read as real changes. The multi-year pattern is the more reliable signal.

Geography:
United Kingdom
Measure:
Per cent of each group
Period:
Apr–Jun 2026 and a year earlier
Status:
Survey-based
Calculation:
As published (Table 1: people, men and women, seasonally adjusted).
Compare with:
All 16–24-year-olds, 13.0%
Not included / breaks:
ONS does not publish NEET estimates below UK level. The 16–17 rate is low partly because young people in England must stay in education or training until 18.

Source: ONS, Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK, Table 1 (seasonally adjusted) (released 27 August 2026).

View the data as a table
GroupApr–Jun 2026Year earlier
Aged 18–2415.215.1
Young men, 16–2413.713.3
All aged 16–2413.012.8
Young women, 16–2412.312.3
Aged 16–175.34.5

ONS does not publish NEET rates below UK level. For a local view with a different measure: claimant rates across Hampshire’s 13 council areas.

What could change

Proposals to consider. The bodies named below would need to agree to deliver them; responsibility is not a recorded commitment. Follow the links for costs and evidence.

  • Offer evidence-based employment support alongside healthcare

    Link employment support with healthcare and test whether it helps people into work.

    Who could deliver it: the Department for Work and Pensions, health commissioners and local employment partners.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Clinical displacement; unsuitable pressure to work; variable fidelity.

    Specify cohort and voluntary offer; secure clinical referrals, trained employment specialists, employer links and linked-data evaluation.

    Cost: Only part of the cost has been estimated.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Target minimum-wage enforcement where underpayment is highest, and test whether it works

    Focus minimum-wage enforcement where workers are most likely to be underpaid, then test the results.

    Who could deliver it: Employment departments, employers, enforcement bodies and skills partners.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Reduced hours/hiring in some settings; displacement; inappropriate generalisation.

    Separate wage-floor/enforcement, progression and targeted youth support; specify increment and monitor hours and access.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Employer-linked shortage training beyond construction

    Test training linked to employer placements where there are proven shortages outside construction.

    Who could deliver it: skills bodies, colleges and employers.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    The main risks still need to be assessed.

    Specify sector, cohort, placement and recognised completion; cost tuition, trainee support, employer time, trainers and evaluation. Track earnings and sustained employment. Proposed owners: skills bodies, colleges and employers.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Timely workplace adjustments for disabled workers

    Test faster workplace adjustments for disabled workers, making clear what employers must provide and what public support covers.

    Who could deliver it: the Department for Work and Pensions, employers and support providers.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    The main risks still need to be assessed.

    Audit delays and current legal/service baseline; cost assessors, adjustments, employer contributions and administration. Measure retention, access and worker experience. Proposed owners: DWP, employers and support providers.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

See all options and what is still unknown →

Some problems have no assessed solution yet: see coverage and gaps.

Help and rights

In the options discussed here, IPS — employment supportIndividual Placement and Support: an employment-support model integrated with mental-health care. The same abbreviation can mean something else in other contexts.NHS England: definition and context → means Individual Placement and Support.

These links can help with an individual situation. They do not resolve the wider pressures described above.

Domain SWOT

Recorded

Budget 2026 bears on one of these findings

Show the findings
Strengths · 2 findings

  • Health-linked employment support has been tested in large UK randomised trials: for out-of-work participants in the West Midlands it raised the share working 13 weeks or more in a year by 4 percentage points.

    West Midlands and Sheffield City Region · Randomised 2018–2019; outcomes at 12 months

  • Paid and supported routes are funded: an £820 million Youth Guarantee package includes six-month paid jobs for young people long on Universal Credit, and Connect to Work has committed funding to 2028–29.

    Great Britain (Jobs Guarantee); England and Wales (Connect to Work) · December 2025 to 2028–29

Weaknesses · 6 findings

  • About 2.7 million people of working age are economically inactive because of long-term sickness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019, while the overall inactivity rate has barely moved. Labour Force Survey estimates carry sampling uncertainty and are revised.

    United Kingdom · June to August 2026

  • Work-coach capacity affects the support people receive. The NAO found that 57% of jobcentres had reduced support when caseloads were too high. It called for better measures of sustained work and job quality; moving into earnings for one month does not establish a lasting job.

    Great Britain · NAO report, 31 March 2025; support reductions September 2023–November 2024

  • 981,000 people aged 16–24 (13.0%) were not in education, employment or training; 588,000 of them were economically inactive rather than looking for work.

    United Kingdom · Apr–Jun 2026

  • 2.74 million people aged 16–64 were economically inactive because of long-term sickness, against 2.08 million at the end of 2019.

    United Kingdom · Oct–Dec 2019 and Jun–Aug 2026

  • Access to Work decisions averaged 109 working days in November 2025 against a 25-day target (28 days in 2021–22), with 62,100 applications awaiting a decision at 31 March 2025; the employment rate of disabled people was 29.7 points below that of non-disabled people in mid-2025.

    Great Britain (Access to Work); United Kingdom (employment gap) · March 2022 to November 2025 (processing); Q2 2025 (employment gap)

  • About 445,000 jobs were paid below the legal minimum in 2025 (382,000 in 2024), while HMRC identified arrears for 25,200 workers in 2024/25. The underpayment figure is a survey estimate, not proven non-compliance.

    United Kingdom · 2024 to 2025 (underpayment); 2024/25 (enforcement)

Opportunities · 1 finding

  • Match the route to the barrier: paid jobs and apprenticeships for young people ready to work, and health-linked support for people out of work through ill health.

    Depends on: Support stays voluntary, placements are real jobs with training, and success is judged on sustained work 6–12 months later rather than starts.

    our synthesis

    Budget 2026 responds to this

    Youth Guarantee and apprenticeship support expanded, with local apprenticeship services extended to all mayors.

    Youth Employment and SkillsSpring 2026 Youth Employment and Skills Package

Threats · 1 finding

  • Gains are modest and fragile: Kickstart left an extra 11 in every 100 participants in unsubsidised work two years on, and weak employer demand, poor placements or diluted delivery could cut that further.

    risk

See the whole-UK SWOT →

Domain action plan

Proposed

Possible steps for government and the bodies responsible. These describe the order of work, not promised dates: starting an action and seeing results take different amounts of time.

  1. Short term · prepare

    Identify people missing suitable work or support.

  2. Medium term · deliver

    Connect voluntary employment help, healthcare, training and employers.

  3. Long term · judge results

    Track sustained work, earnings and health rather than programme enrolment alone.

Delivery steps and owners (6)
  1. Prerequisite: Segment young people by barrier and recruit employers with real vacancies · DWP and local delivery partners, with DfE · proposed
  2. Decision: Fund NHS referral routes and fidelity reviews alongside Connect to Work · DWP delivery areas and NHS commissioners · proposed
  3. Delivery: Jobs Guarantee national rollout; IPS referrals from clinical teams · DWP delivery partners; Connect to Work providers with NHS teams · proposed
  4. Result: Sustained work at 6–12 months against comparison groups; NEET and sickness inactivity falling · DWP (payroll data) and ONS · proposed
  5. Decision: Set an Access to Work decision standard for in-work cases and publish processing times as statistics · DWP · proposed
  6. Delivery: Target minimum-wage inspections by sector and publish arrears and repeat offending · Fair Work Agency · proposed

Sources, method and changes

Shareable visual summary

Visual summary

2.7 million working-age people are out of work through long-term sickness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019.

13.0% of 16–24-year-olds in the UK, April–June 2026: 393k unemployed (looking for work) and 588k economically inactive (not seeking work or not available to start, often because of caring, study plans or ill health). Survey estimates.

Share of 16–24-year-olds who are NEET

13.0%

Within the NEET total

  • 393k (40.1%) Unemployed (looking and available)
  • 588k (59.9%) Economically inactive (not seeking work or not available to start)

Inactive is not the same as unwilling: it includes caring, ill health and people about to start a course.

Text and data version

2.7 million working-age people are out of work through long-term sickness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019. 13.0% of 16–24-year-olds in the UK, April–June 2026: 393k unemployed (looking for work) and 588k economically inactive (not seeking work or not available to start, often because of caring, study plans or ill health). Survey estimates.

Records behind this visual summary
MeasureValuePeriodGeographyTypeSource
Young people not in education, employment or training981kApr–Jun 2026United Kingdomsurvey estimateOffice for National Statistics, Young people not in education, employment or training
NEET rate, 16–2413.0%Apr–Jun 2026United Kingdomsurvey estimateOffice for National Statistics, Young people not in education, employment or training
NEET and unemployed (looking and available for work)393kApr–Jun 2026United Kingdomsurvey estimateOffice for National Statistics, Young people not in education, employment or training
NEET and economically inactive (not looking, or not available, for work)588kApr–Jun 2026United Kingdomsurvey estimateOffice for National Statistics, Young people not in education, employment or training

Social card

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An estimated 981,000 UK 16–24-year-olds were outside education, employment or training in April–June 2026. What barriers stand in the way of a lasting opportunity? Read the data and possible responses.
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2.7 million working-age people are out of work through long-term sickness, 658,000 more than at the end of 2019.

Employment social card. An estimated 981,000 UK 16–24-year-olds were NEET in April–June 2026: 13.0% of that age group; 393,000 unemployed and 588,000 inactive.

Available images and their source records are listed on Shareable visuals.

Sources and methods (6)

Method notes

  • Labour Force Survey figures are survey estimates with sampling error; ONS designated them official statistics again on 11 August 2026 after a period as “official statistics in development”, and still advises focusing on long-term movements.
  • LFS rates are rolling three-month averages, labelled here by their full window (for example “May–Jul 2026”).
  • NEET is a share of all people aged 16–24; the unemployment rate is a share of the economically active. They answer different questions and must not be compared as if one were a subset of the other.
  • Real pay covers Great Britain (Average Weekly Earnings does not cover Northern Ireland) and is deflated by CPIH (consumer prices including owner occupiers’ housing costs) to 2015 prices.