Official figures released on 28 May 2026 show an estimated 23,000 people aged 16 to 24 in Northern Ireland were not in education, employment or training during January to March 2026.

The data, published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, put the NEET rate at 11.6 percent of the age group.

Males recorded a higher rate at 13.1 percent, while the rate for females stood at 9.9 percent.

The number rose by 3,000 from the previous quarter and by 4,000 over the year, though the changes fell within normal sampling variation.

The Labour Force Survey defines unemployed people as those actively seeking work and available to start within two weeks, while economically inactive people are those not looking for work or unavailable to start.

The next quarterly update is scheduled for release in August 2026.