A recent article this month on Fortune has highlighted the rise in young men classified as NEET—not in Education, Employment, or Training—reports serious questions about the future of both the UK economy and an entire generation of workers.

 

The question ultimately is what will the Labour government do to draw young men back into the work force, before our economy sees damaging long-term effects?

What is troubling isn’t just the numbers, but the cultural shift that seems to be influencing them. While women have been making progress in the workforce, benefiting from gender-balance targets and flexible working, young men are falling behind, not just in education but in ambition.

 

Official data from earlier this year paints a troubling picture of nearly 460,000 men aged 18 to 24 were classified as NEET during the first half of 2024, with over 60% of them not even looking for work. Since 2019, this figure has increased by 45%, while the rate for women has remained steady.

So, what’s going on? The mental health crisis is a significant factor, but so is the shift in societal expectations.

“We see the rise in mental health issues being felt quite a lot by young men,” said Laura-Jane Rawlings, CEO of Youth Employment UK. She noted that while young men tend to be confident during their education, that confidence often fades when it’s time to find work.

In contrast, young women perhaps feeling a higher financial burden are more likely to accept lower-paying jobs and stick with them. Corporate gender-balance initiatives and flexible work options have contributed to women’s success in the workforce, but many young men have been left behind, particularly in areas where industrial jobs once flourished.

The long-term impact is that this won’t be a temporary blip. The longer young people stay out of work, the harder it is for them to re-enter the job market, which can drag down the economy for years to come.

This issue stems from education. Young men are falling behind girls in school, limiting their post-education options, particularly when it comes to apprenticeships or other forms of employment. The situation was worsened in 2023 when a government-backed trainee program was scrapped.

Tackling the problem is about more than just finding jobs. Many young men still living at home, feel less urgency to take any job, unlike their female counterparts who may feel a greater financial push. One in three men aged 20-34 still live with their parents, compared to one in five women. And while inactivity levels have bounced back in other G7 countries, the UK is still lagging, with long-term sickness being a significant factor, especially among young men.

Mental health issues are also a big piece of the puzzle. Surveys show that nearly half of young people who are NEET report that poor mental health is holding them back from finding work.

The Labour government is facing a significant challenge, one that is not just about bringing young men back to work, but about addressing the  health and social issues that are keeping them out of work.