This report by the Department for Education on national participation in education, training and employment for 16 to 18-year olds to the end of 2021, reveals that the not in education, employment and training (NEET) rate has remained stable, with a minor decrease from 6.5% in 2020 to 6.4% in 2021.
Following record high participation levels for end 2020, the latest estimates for end 2021 show a fall in the age 16-18 participation rate to 81.2%.
The proportion of young people in education and training has been largely rising since around 2001. The proportion of 16-18 year olds NET at the end of 2021 was 14.4%, down 10.3 percentage points since 2001. Between 2011 and 2017 the employment rate of the overall 16-18 NET group rose. Compared with 2020, there have been decreases in the NET employment rate for ages 16 and 17, particularly notable at age 16.
Females aged 16-18 have higher participation rates than males largely due to more being in full-time education. 83.3% of females were participating in education or apprenticeships at end 2021 compared with 79.3% of males. Males are more likely to be on apprenticeships or in part-time education than females, both whilst still in compulsory education (age 16-17) and when moving into post compulsory education at age 18.
Although there have been increases in participation on apprenticeships compared with end 2020, this is reflective of large falls as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and rates now beginning to recover, however they are not yet back to pre-pandemic levels.