31 August 2026
Northern Ireland NEET figures reveal scale of youth economic inactivity
The Department for the Economy has published the latest Labour Force Survey estimates for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). For the period April to June 2026, an estimated 24,000 young people aged 16 to 24 in Northern Ireland were NEET, representing 11.8% of that age group.
The rate is up 0.2 percentage points on the previous quarter. Over the year the estimated number fell by around 1,000, although the Department notes that this change is not statistically significant. The NEET rate was higher among young men, at 12.4%, than among young women, at 11.2%.
The composition of the group is arguably the more important finding for practitioners. Of the 24,000 young people classified as NEET, around 18,000 were economically inactive, meaning they were neither in work nor actively seeking and available for it. The remainder were unemployed in the technical sense of being available and looking for work.
That distinction matters for practice. Provision built around vacancies, applications and interview preparation is designed for young people who are already job searching, and reaches a minority of this group. The larger inactive cohort is more likely to require sustained re-engagement, outreach through community and youth settings, and support that addresses barriers such as caring responsibilities, confidence and previous negative experiences of education before any employment conversation begins.
The figures offer careers professionals working in youth, community and adult guidance settings a current evidence base for that case. The next quarterly release is due in November 2026.
Read the full NEET statistics release
The rate is up 0.2 percentage points on the previous quarter. Over the year the estimated number fell by around 1,000, although the Department notes that this change is not statistically significant. The NEET rate was higher among young men, at 12.4%, than among young women, at 11.2%.
The composition of the group is arguably the more important finding for practitioners. Of the 24,000 young people classified as NEET, around 18,000 were economically inactive, meaning they were neither in work nor actively seeking and available for it. The remainder were unemployed in the technical sense of being available and looking for work.
That distinction matters for practice. Provision built around vacancies, applications and interview preparation is designed for young people who are already job searching, and reaches a minority of this group. The larger inactive cohort is more likely to require sustained re-engagement, outreach through community and youth settings, and support that addresses barriers such as caring responsibilities, confidence and previous negative experiences of education before any employment conversation begins.
The figures offer careers professionals working in youth, community and adult guidance settings a current evidence base for that case. The next quarterly release is due in November 2026.
Read the full NEET statistics release
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