Vicky Pollards are costing £582m to keep

THE number of young people living a Vicky Pollard lifestyle in Oldham is costing the taxpayer a staggering £582 million.

According to official figures there are 6,000 youngsters dubbed by Government as NEETs — not in employment, education or training, up from 5,000 in 2003.

Nationally, the figures numbers rose by only 12 per cent — compared with the almost 20 per cent hike across Oldham.

NEETS are often seen as being typified by the teenage delinquent Vicky Pollard in hit TV comedy “Little Britain”, although the Government insists nearly half of those could be between jobs, on gap years or young mothers looking after children.

Each NEET is estimated to cost taxpayers an average of £97,000, including benefits, lost tax revenue, the extra cost of health and medical services, and the costs of criminal activity.

But the worst cases can swallow up more than £300,000 each. If the taxpayer ends up bankrolling all the NEETS in the borough it would cost a massive £582 million.

Shadow skills secretary David Willets said: “These new figures show the scale of the problems facing young people all over the country, even before we entered the recession.

“It is tragic that ministers have done so little to help NEETs during the good years. Now that we are entering the lean years, it will be harder than ever to tackle this urgent social problem.”

Government defended the increase saying figures included those who are disabled, carers, on gap years or so rich they do not have to do anything.

A spokesman for the department for innovation, universities and skills said: “The most recent statistics from 2007 show that the proportion of 16-18-year-olds participating in education or training was at its highest-ever rate at over 78 per cent.”