THEY are blamed for many of society's ills. They are stereotyped as super-scroungers and "Chavs", have numerous children at a young age and live on benefits in council housing for their whole lives.

In "TV land" they are like Little Britain's Vicky Pollard - no job, no qualifications and they drink and smoke at the public's expense.

Now the Government has highlighted the problem of young "Neets" - and hinted that soon they may not be able to rely on taxpayers for the billions they currently claim in welfare and benefits.

Nearly five per cent of North Yorkshire's 16 to 18-year-olds are classed as Neets - or "Not in Education, Employment or Training".

Government figures have shown that every "Neet" who drops out of education at 16 can cost taxpayers between £97,000 and £300,000 during their lives.

And while North Yorkshire ranks 42nd on a list of 47 authorities compiled by research and policy consultancy Local Futures, council chiefs are still taking the Neet problem seriously.

While Neets have finally found their way into the public arena, the Evening Press reported earlier this month how a startling one-in-ten people in York spent their days doing nothing. Nine per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds were revealed as not having jobs, college courses or training schemes to attend - and were at risk of falling into the poverty trap of crime, drugs and ill-health.

That data, published by the Department for Education and Skills, showed that six per cent in North Yorkshire and seven per cent in East Riding of Yorkshire were also failing to find a proper role in society.

Carol Runciman, City of York Council's education chief, said the most important thing was to offer the city's 16 to 18-year-olds a "proper range of options".

"We have to accept that not all young people want to take five GCSEs and loads of A- levels. We have this big problem where people accept Government promotion that the destination of choice should be university," she said.

"It is clear that this is not the case. We have to promote a range of options, and what we are trying to do with our 14 to 19 strategy is not only promote those options for those disaffected with the system, but make vocational options available to those interested in that and the academic route."

Coun Viv Kind, shadow spokeswoman for education and children's services, has previously told the Evening Press that "Neet" numbers in York were small compared to elsewhere.

"The important thing is to find things that engage young people and we need to start early," she said.

"It is not good for the young person themselves, it is a waste of their time, but also there is the risk that they become bored and they will congregate together. Then some - but certainly not all - will get up to unacceptable behaviour."

Updated: 10:38 Wednesday, March 30, 2005