Context
Themes: Employment and labour market | Higher education and training opportunities | Workforce capability | Identity formation
July 2026
Why it matters for a generation trying to find its place
A growing conversation is emerging around the term NEET: Not in Education, Employment or Training. For decades, the label has served as a useful statistical definition, but an important question is whether it fully reflects the lived experiences of the young people it describes.
An alternative that has begun to appear in some discussions is LEET, meaning Looking for Education, Employment or Training. The difference may appear subtle, but it represents a meaningful shift in perspective. Rather than defining young people by what they are not doing, LEET acknowledges that many are actively seeking opportunities, applying for jobs, pursuing training or trying to overcome barriers beyond their control.
Consider the graduate who has spent months, or even years, submitting countless job applications without securing a permanent role, or the young person whose physical health, mental health, disability, caring responsibilities or lack of local opportunities make accessing education or employment exceptionally difficult. These individuals are often persistent, resilient and still trying to find a way forward. LEET acknowledges that effort and focuses on the process of seeking opportunities rather than on the mere absence of work or education.
The discussion is therefore about more than changing an acronym. It invites us to reconsider how society understands young people as they navigate one of the most challenging transitions of their lives.
When a label contributes to an identity
Research in psychology suggests that language can influence how people see themselves and how they believe others perceive them. During adolescence and emerging adulthood, identity is still developing, making young people especially sensitive to the messages they receive about who they are and where they belong.
The term NEET is intentionally descriptive but also deficit-focused. It defines young people by what they lack rather than by what they are trying to achieve. For some young people, repeatedly hearing themselves described in terms of absence rather than potential may contribute to feelings of failure, shame or being “left behind.”
The alternative, LEET, offers a different perspective. It shifts the narrative from disengagement to transition, recognising that the journey into adulthood is rarely simple or straightforward. While changing terminology cannot remove poverty, improve mental health services or create more jobs, language can influence how young people are perceived and, in turn, how some perceive themselves.
It’s not a lack of motivation, but often a lack of opportunity
One of the most persistent misconceptions surrounding young people outside employment, education or training is that they simply lack motivation. Research and lived experience suggest a far more complex picture. Many young people experience multiple barriers, including mental health difficulties, chronic illness, caring responsibilities, insecure housing, financial hardship, educational disadvantage and regional inequalities in opportunity. Others face labour markets characterised by fierce competition for entry-level roles, rising qualification requirements and greater employment insecurity.
For many young people, the challenge is not deciding whether to participate in society but finding a realistic route into it.
A door that gets increasingly difficult to open
A significant proportion of young people across the UK are currently outside education, employment or training, and recent trends suggest this is more than a short-term fluctuation. Research has found that periods of unemployment or disengagement early in adulthood can increase the likelihood of experiencing further employment difficulties later in life, particularly where support is limited.
At the same time, traditional pathways into stable employment have evolved. Entry-level jobs have become increasingly competitive in many sectors, apprenticeships remain unevenly distributed across regions, living costs continue to rise, and many local support services have experienced prolonged financial pressures. For many young people, the transition into adulthood is often described as longer, less predictable, and more uncertain than in previous generations.
A generation planning for burnout instead of retirement
Interestingly, even for young people who successfully enter employment, optimism about the future can appear fragile. Some surveys suggest many younger workers are concerned they may have to leave work earlier than expected because of poor physical or mental health. Alongside ambitions to build successful careers, concerns about burnout and long-term wellbeing are becoming increasingly visible in public discussion.
These concerns extend beyond health. Rising state pension ages and uncertainty about future pension provision have led some young workers to question whether retirement, as previous generations understood it, will remain achievable. Financial pressures today can also make long-term saving difficult, with some younger workers choosing to opt out of workplace pension schemes because immediate financial needs take priority or because they are uncertain about future returns.
Why does it feel like young people keep paying more?
Economic pressures continue well beyond entering employment. Recent student loan reforms mean many graduates are expected to make repayments over longer periods than previous cohorts, with the total amount repaid depending on future earnings. At the same time, changes to tuition fees are expected to increase the overall financial burden for many current students through larger loans and longer repayment periods.
Alongside these changes, debates about tax fairness and intergenerational equity have intensified. Some young workers feel they are contributing more while expecting fewer long-term benefits in return. Whether considering housing affordability, pensions, taxation or student finance, many commentators argue that the economic relationship between generations has shifted, leaving younger adults carrying greater financial risk than previous generations, although opinions differ on the causes and extent of this change.
Why this matters to all of us
The potential consequences extend beyond individual young people. Research consistently associates prolonged periods outside education or employment with poorer physical and mental health, lower lifetime earnings and reduced social mobility. At a societal level, persistent youth disengagement can contribute to skills shortages, slower economic growth and increased demand for public services.
Perhaps most importantly, a healthy economy and society benefit when young people believe that education, work and effort can create meaningful opportunities. If growing numbers lose confidence in those pathways, the effects may extend across generations. The long-term sustainability of the labour market, public finances and future pension systems is closely linked to young people’s participation, wellbeing and confidence in their future.
Looking beyond the label
There are reasons to be hopeful. Advances in technology, increasing awareness of mental health, greater recognition of neurodiversity and growing public discussion about youth wellbeing all offer opportunities to rethink how young people are supported during the transition to adulthood. However, optimism alone cannot compensate for structural barriers that continue to limit opportunity.
Whether or not LEET ultimately replaces NEET is less important than the conversation it has started. It reminds us that many young people are not defined by inactivity but by persistence. Many are applying, learning, searching and adapting in circumstances that can be particularly challenging. While every generation faces its own difficulties, today’s young people are navigating a labour market, education system and economic environment that many argue present a distinct set of challenges. Looking beyond the label encourages us to recognise both the barriers they face and the effort many continue to make in overcoming them.
Perhaps the most important question is not whether young people fit the label, but whether the label still fits the young people.
Evidence Note
This article is informed by UK labour market data, youth employment research, psychological theories of identity and wellbeing, and public policy evidence. Topics such as LEET terminology and perceptions of intergenerational fairness reflect emerging discussions where perspectives may differ. The article aims to present these ideas in a balanced and evidence-informed way.
Chamdini Pannipitiya
Founder, Café Brainwaves
Café Brainwaves 