Number Of Young People Not In Education Or Work Continues To Rise In Cumbria
The number of young people in Cumbria who are not in education, employment or training continues to rise, adding to concerns about the growing challenges facing young people trying to enter education, training and the jobs market.
The group, commonly described as NEET, includes young people who are unemployed as well as those who are economically inactive and not currently studying or receiving vocational training. The issue has become an increasing concern for communities and policymakers as more young people face difficulties moving from education into sustainable employment.
National figures published by the Office for National Statistics show that an estimated 1.012 million people aged 16 to 24 were NEET across the UK between January and March 2026. This represented 13.5 per cent of the age group, an increase of 89,000 compared with the same period a year earlier.
The rise in Cumbria comes against a wider national increase, with young people facing a combination of limited employment opportunities, economic inactivity and growing barriers to entering the labour market.
The latest figures show that the increase is not limited to young people actively looking for work. Around 613,000 of the UK's NEET population were economically inactive, meaning they were not working and were not actively seeking employment. A further 400,000 were unemployed and looking for work.
Young men accounted for a significant part of the latest national increase. The number of NEET young men reached 553,000, while 459,000 young women were classified as NEET during the same period. The overall rate was 14.4 per cent among young men and 12.5 per cent among young women.
The issue has also been linked to wider concerns about young people's health, education and ability to access suitable employment. A government review has highlighted the increasing role of work limiting health conditions, while mental health difficulties have become an increasingly important factor among young people who are economically inactive.
For Cumbria, the continuing rise places additional importance on apprenticeships, vocational education, careers advice and employment support. Providing young people with clear routes from education into the workplace could help prevent temporary disengagement from becoming a longer term problem.
The national debate has also intensified as the number of young people outside education, employment and training has passed one million. The government is examining measures designed to improve support for young people, including earlier identification of those at risk of becoming NEET and stronger links between schools, training providers and employers.
The figures underline the scale of the challenge facing communities across the UK. For young people in Cumbria, improving access to skills, training and suitable employment opportunities will remain important in helping more people establish secure careers and participate fully in the local economy.
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