Are young people most affected by rise in unemployment?

by Charlotte Jane Doherty

Youth Unemployment at its highest in over a decade [Image: Unsplash]

Unemployment has been an issue in the UK for a long time and thousands of people struggle every year to make ends meet.

The unemployment rate in the UK has climbed to 5.2%, the highest it has been in the past five years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). And one in six people aged 16-24 in the UK are unemployed (16.1), the highest number in more than a decade.

There are much fewer entry-level jobs available in recent years meaning most young people are competing for the same roles. Also, employers are always seeking people with experience, which lots of young people cannot get.

Student at City of Glasgow College, Emma Carrington, 18, from Dumbarton, said: “I’m unemployed because there is nowhere that hiring in my area that can give me a part time role to fit into my schedule.”

Another student at City of Glasgow College, Megan Anderson, 18, from Dalmarnock, said: “Every job I have applied to either no one has got back to me at all or has rejected me because of my lack of experience. But me and many others have been having this issue for a while because we can’t gain any experience without getting a job in the first place.”

Young people can’t get jobs [Image: Getty Images]

In the UK young people are three times more likely to be unemployed compared to the general population and according to ONS 957,000 young people are considered Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

A big factor affecting the amount considered NEET in the UK is that many young people choose to stay out of work or training to focus on their mental health.

Data calculated by Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWS) estimated that youth unemployment costs the UK economy around £26 billion per year. According to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), The government is forecast to have spent £313 billion on welfare in 2024/25.