NEET numbers fall

The number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) has reached a record low according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

NEET numbers were 631,000 young people in April to June 2021, a record decrease of 104,000 from January to March 2021, and down 144,000 compared with April to June 2020, itself again a record fall.

Of all young people in the UK who were NEET in April to June 2021, an estimated 44.4% were looking for, and available for work, and therefore classified as unemployed; the remainder were either not looking for work and/or not available for work and were classified as economically inactive.

The estimated number of people who were NEET and economically inactive in April to June 2021 was 351,000, a record low, the ONS said.

Meanwhile, in its latest examination of the effects of the Covid pandemic on business and the economy, the ONS states that:

• the proportion of businesses' workforce reported to be on full or partial furlough leave was 7% in early August 2021;

• transportation and storage remained the industry with the lowest percentage of businesses currently trading, at 82%, compared with 90% of businesses in all industries; and

• of businesses that have not permanently stopped trading, 18% intend to use increased homeworking as a permanent business model in future.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/bulletins/youngpeoplenotineducationemploymentortrainingneet/august2021

https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/businessinsightsandimpactontheukeconomy26august2021