Finding a NEET solution

As a young, diverse and dynamic city, we place a high value on our young people and the creativity, vibrancy and economic contribution they bring. We have made significant progress in improving educational outcomes for children and young people, and Manchester now benefits from a high-quality post‑16 sector offering genuine choice across academic, technical and vocational pathways, with strong success rates and outcomes. The Milburn Review is a timely focus on improving outcomes for young people. Currently, our residents are better qualified than ever, with over 50% holding degree-level qualifications or above, and our expanding economy continues to generate high-quality, skilled employment opportunities. However, despite this progress, too many of our children and young people continue to grow up experiencing deprivation and poverty (approximately 42% after housing costs). While we have stabilised the number of 16–18-year-olds NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and reduced the proportion of those whose status is unknown, youth unemployment remains high at 20.6%, exceeding both national and sub-regional averages. Drawing on our work with 16–18-year-olds who are NEET, and our broader efforts to tackle youth unemployment, our submission to the Milburn Review highlighted several key issues. Poverty, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), trauma and poor mental health are the key underlying drivers of rising NEET levels, with mental health playing an increasingly significant role in recent years. Early identification and targeted support are critical for young people at risk of becoming NEET. In Manchester, we have had success through the development of the Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) and close collaboration with schools and colleges to provide earlier and more tailored support to those aged 16–18. Once young people in this age group become NEET, they are known to us through our statutory duties and we can provide support and engagement. However, this continuity is lost when young people turn 18 and move into Jobcentre Plus provision, where intelligence and intensive support do not consistently follow them. Transition points also present challenges—both between schools and colleges, and between education, employment support and health systems. On the demand side, structural changes in the labour market - particularly increased digitisation and the growth of highly skilled occupations -have reduced the availability of entry-level roles, especially for those without Level 3 qualifications. This is often compounded by limited work experience, which young people themselves identify as a significant barrier and an area where greater access during education is needed. We recognise that experiencing unemployment at a young age can have a lasting and disproportionate impact on lifetime earnings, health and life chances, further entrenching inequalities. For this reason, we are committed to creating opportunities for all of Manchester's young people. We have developed and funded a range of these interventions, including: · Building Relationships between Employers and Educators (BREE): A brokerage scheme connecting employers with schools to provide meaningful engagement with the world of work. To date, over 60 employers have participated, delivering more than 100 interventions. BREE succeeds in structural, long term engagement with a school, pupils and their families and now demonstrates good examples of impact.· Pathways programmes: Initiatives that connect education, training and guaranteed employment outcomes in priority sectors. A successful example includes our parks maintenance programme, which has provided paid placements for young people who are NEET. · Youth Action Days: Locally focused events that bring together services to deliver outreach, engagement and tailored support to young people in need. · Strong alignment with social value commitments: Working with anchor institutions and employers to maximise impact and opportunity for young people. Raising the national profile and urgency of the NEET challenge, and emphasising the need for decisive action is a critical issue for UK PLC. This needs urgent, coordinated, place-based approaches, rather than isolated programmes. Manchester brings together key partners—including education providers, employers, health services, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the voluntary sector—through established forums and governance structures. We have the infrastructure to further strengthen this collaboration further to improve outcomes for 16–24-year-olds who are NEET. In reality, we know a more significant issue faces those in the 22 to 24 NEET age range - those young people who are outside the established pre-18 support mechanisms. This is a group that requires direct and proactive engagement to deliver outcomes that create pathways to employment through good quality apprenticeships and other opportunities to connect them to the labour market - and are at more risk of falling through the gaps. A parallel issue raised in the review requires us to broaden our scope of support – that of older unemployed and in-work adults over the age of 50. Fewer qualifications in this group, alongside the digitisation and transformation of labour market in cities like Manchester over the past 25years has created a clear barrier to employment. This cohort can become stuck in poor quality jobs with little wage or career progression. So, while NEET young people is an obvious focus for us, making sure all our residents are given the support and direction they need to grow, develop and progress is an essential part of sustainable and inclusive economic growth. As with young people, Manchester has the tools, partnerships and track record to amplify these essential interventions in in-work progression for working age adults. Our post‑16 Education, Employment and Training (EET) Plan aligns closely with the Review's recommendations, focusing on flexible pathways, quality assurance, targeted support for vulnerable young people, specialised provision, and strong employer engagement. There are also clear opportunities to strengthen collaboration across Greater Manchester—maximising the impact of devolved skills and employment programmes, aligning provision where appropriate, and sharing best practice across the region. The recommendation to establish a Local Authority NEET Taskforce aligns well with the call for place‑based, whole‑system leadership, and Manchester is strongly positioned with many of the answers, to respond through its established and effective partnership structures. Tom Stannard, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council

Title

EMPLOYMENT

Finding a NEET solution

By Tom Stannard | 02 June 2026

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