Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET)

Around 12% of young people (aged 16-24) were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) as of December 2023. Research has consistently shown that prolonged periods spent as NEET can have long-term negative impacts, including poorer physical and mental health, as well as an increased likelihood of unemployment, low wages, or precarious work later in life.

Local Authorities (LAs) have a statutory duty to track, support, and intervene with young people aged 16 to 18, extending up to 25 for those with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). In Bradford, approximately 1 in 20 young people are currently classified as NEET or Not Known (where their destination is unrecorded)—a figure that aligns with national, regional, and statistical benchmarks. Notably, around one-third of NEET young people in Bradford fall into the category of Not Active NEET, meaning they face additional barriers to participation, such as ill health, pregnancy, or caregiving responsibilities.

Bradford’s youth claimant rate currently stands at around 10%, nearly twice as high as in Leeds, other large northern cities, and the national average. This underscores the pressing need for early identification and intervention strategies to improve young people’s long-term prospects.

This project aims to develop robust, data-driven approaches for identifying, supporting, and evaluating interventions targeting at-risk young people. By leveraging machine learning and advanced analytics, we seek to provide evidence-based insights that can enhance local authority decision-making, improve health and economic outcomes for young people, and serve as a scalable blueprint for other LAs seeking effective NEET reduction strategies.