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Up to one on four youths in England could be unemployed and not in education or training following the recession, a shocking new study by the Audit Commission has suggested. Worse, the commission chair, Michael O'Higgins, warned much of the £8.7bn set aside to support 16 to 19-year-olds ‘rarely reaches these more disadvantaged teens who need more intensive support'. The commission's study, likely to be a key talking point at the LGA conference, states: ‘Analysis of the records of 24,000 young people in 10 areas country-wide suggests that as many as one in four young people may be outside school, work or training, and that the number affected varies widely across the country.' The 25% Neet figure – which includes those teenagers Neet for short periods –would represent a huge hike on past government estimates, which have generally classed around 9% to 10% of youngsters as Neet. Those figures were expected to rise following the recession – but the extent of the Audit Commission's new estimate has sent shockwaves through Whitehall. One senior civil servant told The MJ: ‘This is a real eye-opener. Ministers, in partnership with local authorities and other bodies, are working on new programmes to support and assist youths into work, employment or vocational training. ‘We expected increased Neet levels during and following the recession. It is an unfortunate part of the fall-out from shrinking employment. But if the commission's figures are correct, there is a heck of a job to do.' Most worryingly for ministers, the commission's research suggests ‘about 10% of teenagers in the study groups were out of education, employment or training in the long term – for six months or more.' That represents 85,000 young people nationally. Mr O'Higgins said: ‘Young people should be the future, but tens of thousands are at risk. ‘After the age of 18 they could drift into unemployed, unqualified and untrained adulthood.' Click here to view Against the Odds

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WHITEHALL

Study exposes 'shocking' rate of Neet levels

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