28,000 fewer young people not in education, employment or training

The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) has fallen by 28,000 to 800,000, official figures show.

The figure for the first quarter of 2017, covering 16 to 24-year-olds classed as Neet, is down by 68,000 from a year ago.

The percentage of all young people in the UK who were Neet was 11.2%, down 0.4% from October to December 2016 and down 0.8% from a year earlier.

The Office for National Statistics said 42% of all young people in the UK who were Neet were looking for work and available for work and therefore classified as unemployed, while the rest were either not looking for work and/or not available for work and classified as economically inactive.

Young Women's Trust chief executive Dr Carole Easton said: "Today's figures show that 400,000 young women are now not in employment, education or training.

"Young Women's Trust research shows they are not given the support they need to find work or training, despite the vast majority wanting to.

"It's not just families that are losing out from this, as young people fall into debt and turn to food banks, but businesses and the economy too.

"Politicians must commit to improving young people's prospects or even more will be driven to food banks and the economy will suffer."