Statistics from the Department for Education, published yesterday, on the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) show in Q2 2011, 979,000 16 to 24 year olds in England were NEET - a sixth of the age group.
This represents a rise of over 100,000 over the equivalent figures for 2010. At the same time, the numbers 16 to 18 year olds not in education, employment or training has fallen over the same period by over 10,000 to 186,000 (9.8% of the age group) as more young people look to stay on in education or find an apprenticeship.
The biggest rise is among the 19 to 24 year olds, with 794,000 not in education, employment or training - up by 120,000 over the past year and the highest figure since the current series of statistics began in 2006.
Almost one in five young adults are currently out of work and not at college or university. Among the 19 to 24 year olds who are NEET, 458,000 (58 per cent) are female.
Jim Hillage, director of research at the Institute for Employment Studies, said: "The labour market is a very tough place to be for young people at the moment. Young adults who can't find an apprenticeship or a college place are finding it particularly hard to compete for jobs against older, more experienced, job-seekers not just from this country but also from the rest of Europe.
"Unfortunately it seems likely that the situation will get worse before it gets better as the economic recovery falters and job growth stalls."
