Report shows worsening employment prospects for young people in the UK

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has reported that employment prospects for young people in the UK have got worse over the last five years. The report noted how those under 34 had experienced the steepest fall in income and employment as well as less access to decent housing.

EHRC commissioner Laura Carstensen said the young had the “worst economic prospects for generations,” as the report noted deepening levels of poverty among the UK’s young people, stating that those aged 16 to 24 were more likely to be living in poverty than any other adult age group.

Ms Carstensen noted a knock-on effect for older people too, as she continued, “It’s great to see the barriers being lowered over the last five years for some people, but during the same period they’ve been raised higher for younger people in particular. Theirs are the shoulders on which the country will rely to provide for a rapidly ageing population, yet they have the worst economic prospects for several generations.”

The report, which was called ‘Is Britain Fairer’ also found that while most people were more accepting of sexual and racial diversity, religious differences were still a problem area. The report also noted that Chinese and Asian pupils from disadvantaged homes were the best performers at school while those from gypsy or traveller families fared the worst. White boys, meanwhile, were found to be facing a combination of disadvantages, while most people were being paid less per hour in real terms than five years ago.

TUC general secretary, Frances O’Grady called the report a “wake-up call” to ministers about the “plight of young people, who are struggling to cope with poverty pay, deteriorating job prospects and the increased cost of housing.” She continued, “Hiking up university and college fees and excluding young people from the new higher minimum wage rate is not the way to build a fair and prosperous Britain,” declaring, “It is the blueprint for a lost generation.”

Ms. O’Grady concluded, “Without better employment and training opportunities many young people will continue to be shut of the recovery.”