Rise in Neets

One in six 18-year-olds in England were not in education, employment or training (Neets) in the second quarter of 2012, according to recent government figures — a 1.2 percentage point increase on the same quarter last year.

The figures also show a 0.8 percentage point increase in the proportion of 17-year-old Neets, compared to the same period in 2011, with the overall proportion of 16-18-year-olds Neets up by 0.5 percentage points.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of lecturers’ union UCU, said: “These figures come against the backdrop of higher fees for college and university students and highlight the folly of erecting punitive financial barriers to study.”