The gap between Greater Manchester young men and women not in employment, education, or training (NEET) has grown significantly since 2021, according to the latest ONS data.
In 2021, there was a negligible disparity in NEET rates between young men and women.
But in 2025, the men of Greater Manchester outstripped the women with a 5% greater NEET rate.
If you were a young man living in Greater Manchester in 2025, you had a substantially higher likelihood of being a NEET than a female counterpart.
Stephen Thomas, head of delivery for The King’s Trust in Greater Manchester, said: “The widening gap in NEET rates is a concern because it risks leaving a generation of young men behind at a time when employers across the region are looking for talent.
“Our experience is that, with the right support, young people can and do thrive.
“The data mirrors much of what our teams are hearing directly from young people.”
Aspiring DJ Matthew undertook the Get Started with DJing course – a scheme created by Idris Elba to help young people get into careers in the creative industries.
The King’s Trust mentee now has freelance work and aspirations to play Glastonbury and Ibiza.
His father had been unwell with MND for a long time, and Matthew had been out of work in order to care for him during this time period.
Matthew identified the prevalence of high NEET rates as an issue for people his age, with a sizeable proportion of his university friend group being unemployed.
He wholeheartedly recommended The King’s Trust to anyone searching for work in Greater Manchester.
Paul Noblet, YoungMinds head of external affairs and research, said: “These findings underline the importance of ensuring young men can access the mental health support they need.
“Many young people are experiencing multiple pressures which impact their mental health, including poverty, inequality, intense academic pressure, and the online world, so it’s no wonder so many are struggling.
“This can have a huge impact on all areas of their lives, including their ability to engage in education, training and work.”
He added: “The Government needs to meaningfully address what is causing so many more young people to be too unwell to work, including the root causes of poor mental health.”
Featured Image: photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
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