'Seriously Concerning': 400K Young Britons Out of Work Due to Mental Health and Autism as Disability Rates Rise

In 2025, 48.4 per cent of NEETs reported having a disability, compared to just 22.2 per cent in 2011, according to research by the Youth Futures Foundation. The rise is primarily due to mental health conditions, which nearly doubled from 24.3 per cent in 2011 to 42.6 per cent in 2025.

Government data highlights that young people aged 16 to 34 with mental health conditions are almost five times more likely to be economically inactive than their peers. The number of young people out of work due to long-term sickness increased from around 100,000 in 2013 to over 250,000 in 2025.

The Growing Impact of Mental Health and Autism

Autism has become a significant factor in rising disability rates. Claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for autism among 16 to 24-year-olds surged from 26,000 in 2019 to over 114,000 by April 2025. Autism now accounts for a third of all disability benefit claims in this age group. Similarly, claims for anxiety and depression rose sharply—from 23,000 to 110,000—and ADHD claims increased from 4,200 to more than 37,000.

Meanwhile, the total number of NEETs continues to grow. Between April and June 2025, around 948,000 people aged 16 to 24 were neither in employment nor in education or training—about 12.8 per cent of all in that age group, a clear rise from previous years.

The Mental Health Crisis and Its Economic Toll

Experts attribute the worsening mental health crisis among young people to multiple factors, including cuts to local authority funding and strain on mental health services intensified during the pandemic. The proportion of 16 to 64-year-olds experiencing anxiety or depression increased from 15 per cent in 1993 to 23 per cent in 2024, with the sharpest rise among 16 to 24-year-olds.

Young workers report higher stress and burnout levels than older generations. Only one in three people aged 18 to 24 say they can switch off from work when needed, compared to nearly half of those aged 55 and over. Mental Health UK found that the number of young workers comfortable discussing stress with a manager dropped from 75 per cent in 2024 to just 56 per cent this year.

The economic consequences are substantial. Government projections suggest that reducing the NEET rate by one-third, to match Germany's, could boost the UK's GDP by nearly 2%, roughly £38 billion. Globally, lost productivity from depression and anxiety costs over one trillion dollars annually.

The government has announced reforms, including a 'Youth Guarantee' to ensure all young people are either learning or earning, along with investment in job centres and employment support. Plans also include delaying access to health top-ups in Universal Credit until age 22, using savings to expand training and job opportunities.

A Generation at Risk

Young people with low qualifications are significantly more likely to be NEET. About 31 per cent of 24-year-olds without Level 2 English and Maths fall into this group, rising to over half among those who received free school meals. Disabled young people are more than three times as likely to be NEET as their non-disabled peers.

Despite many wanting to work, nearly half of disabled NEETs say their health is not the main barrier. Instead, multiple challenges—including poor mental health, gaps in education, and lack of opportunity—are preventing them from entering the labour market.