Main points
- Estimates from January to March 2025 include the full effect of recent improvements in Labour Force Survey (LFS) data collection and sampling methods introduced from January 2024 and are therefore more likely to be representative of labour market conditions.
- An increased amount of volatility will remain in the estimates from mid-2023 and throughout 2024, so we would advise caution when interpreting change involving those periods.
- Estimates such as young people not in employment, education or training will likely continue to see greater volatility compared with more aggregated measures because of smaller population subgroups compared with the headline rates, despite improved sample sizes.
- LFS estimates are weighted to 2022 mid-year population estimates for periods from January to March 2019; the number of young people age 16 to 24 years not in education, employment or training (NEET) estimates have a discontinuity at this point.
- There was a decrease in the number of young people aged 16 to 24 years NEET in January to March 2025; the total is currently estimated to be 923,000, down from 930,000 in January to March 2024.
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