Young people who are NEET

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The Education and Skills Act of 2008 aimed to increase the age at which young individuals are required to be engaged in education or training. Since the academic year 2013 to 2014, it has been mandatory for young people to continue learning or training until they reach the age of 18. This can include full-time education in schools, colleges, or home education; apprenticeships and work-based learning; or part-time education or training while employed, self-employed, or volunteering for at least 20 hours per week. By participating in post-16 education and broader learning, young people can enhance their academic achievements, increase their chances of finding employment, and experience additional social and health benefits. 

Young people between the aged 16 and 17 who are not involved in education, employment, or training (NEET) are at a greater risk of negative outcomes, including poor health, depression, and early parenthood, and will face greater barriers in entering the workforce the longer they remain inactive.  

The percentage young people aged 16 to 17 who are NEET, or whose activity is not known, in Waltham Forest decreased between 2016 and 2021. Waltham Forest's rate of 16 to 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training is lower than the national and London averages. 

Source: OHID Public Health Outcomes Framework. Data from Department for Education. Date accessed: 24 March 2023.