The Hidden Challenge of Unemployment for Young Adults
Neala Sheils spent two years sending applications without success before landing a job in a hotel last month. At 20, she was part of a swelling demographic classified as Neet: Not in Education, Employment or Training. Sheils, who lives in Glasgow, faced a disjointed support system at her local Jobcentre. She says she often saw a different work coach at every visit, which forced her to recount her history repeatedly. The lack of continuity made it hard to build a plan for her future.
Her breakthrough arrived only after a referral to a specialist employability service managed by the mental health charity SAMH. This program provided targeted assistance with interview preparation, confidence building, and teamwork. Within three months of starting the program, Sheils secured work. She credits the success to the charity's awareness of her autism, which had previously created barriers during high-pressure interviews where potential employers cited her lack of eye contact as a reason for rejection. She is now setting her sights on college to pursue a career in dementia support.
Data Gaps and Economic Inactivity
Recent statistics from the Office for National Statistics reveal that 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 in the UK were classed as Neet between April and June. This figure represents roughly 13% of that age group. While some individuals are actively searching for work, the majority are now considered economically inactive. This status means they are currently unable or unwilling to enter the workforce, a shift that complicates traditional unemployment metrics.
Scotland presents a particular challenge for analysts due to how the government reports its figures. The nation stops tracking Neet statistics once young people turn 19. This creates a data vacuum exactly when individuals are most likely to encounter significant friction in their transition to the labor market. Allison Catalano, an economist at the Fraser of Allander Institute, notes that this lack of comparable information hides the true scale of the problem. Without data for those aged 20 to 24, policymakers struggle to determine if current strategies effectively support this vulnerable segment.
Scaling Support for Mental Health
Experts argue that the rise in Neet numbers is closely tied to deteriorating mental health and a surge in neurodevelopmental conditions among young people. Alex Cumming of SAMH points out that while some isolated initiatives show promise, the existing infrastructure remains insufficient to meet the rising demand. He estimates that instances of mental health struggles among this group have doubled over the last decade.
Young people who face school-age challenges due to anxiety or depression often graduate with fewer qualifications, which subsequently erodes the confidence required to enter professional environments. The Scottish government reports that it supported over 55,000 young people through various services between April 2019 and March 2026. A spokesperson stated that officials are now reviewing how to track the participation of the 20-to-24 demographic more accurately. The path to long-term employment for this group requires more than simple placement services; it demands an acknowledgment of the medical and social barriers that hold them back.