The number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet) across the UK fell below 1 million in the latest three-month period.

In a boost to the government’s efforts to reverse years of rising economic inactivity among people aged 16 to 24, the Office for National Statistics said its surveys showed there were an estimated 981,000 Neets in April to June, compared with 1,012,000 in January to March.