Approximately 9% of UK youth aged 18-24 who are currently studying or out of work, or which equates to 227,000 youth, say they never intend to start working, according to a study by City & Guilds.

The research, based on a survey of 5,000 18-24-year-olds living in the UK, found that 13% are currently unemployed (not in work or studying) and a further 3% are economically inactive, equating to approximately 859,000 young adults out of work and education across the UK.

According to City & Guilds, young people aged 18-24 seem to be rapidly losing hope as they face what they see as a hostile labour market with limited opportunities to get a foot on the ladder and progress.

Almost a third, or 30%, of young people stated they do not think they will ever be able to achieve their career ambitions. This is highest amongst those who are currently not working (35%) and those who have faced difficulties in their early lives, notably those who have been in the prison system (59%), been a refugee (54%) or been through the care system (44%).

Kirstie Donnelly, CEO of City and Guilds, said, “We can’t keep blaming the pandemic for the issues facing today's youth. High youth unemployment has been an issue for more than a decade and the pandemic was just another challenge heaped onto an already creaking system that makes it incredibly difficult for young people to convert their aspirations into good jobs.”

“In addition, our research found that young people who have faced additional challenges, such as young carers, care and prison leavers and those who come from less affluent families, are falling way behind their peers in the labour market at the earliest stage of their careers,” Donnelly said. “The current system is baking in inequality and preventing millions of young people from meeting their potential.”

For those who are keen to work, the study found that they face real barriers to getting jobs. More than two in five, or 43%, do not believe that their education has equipped them with the skills they need to get the job they want. Two thirds (64%) of young people say that it is not easy to get a good job these days, and nearly a third (29%) say they have struggled to get interviews. Meanwhile, one in five (19%) say there are ‘simply no jobs’ available in their local area.

In face of these challenges, young people said they strongly believe both government and employers must do more to support them. A quarter, or 26%, of the 18-24-year-olds surveyed think the government is doing enough to support young people entering the world of work, and that drops to just 19% for those who are unemployed.

Donnelly continued, “If we don’t open doors for young people from all backgrounds to enter the labour market, and invest in their skills, we are losing out on all of that of talent and creativity. And ultimately, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot.”

“Young people should be a critical part of the UK’s recovery story and harnessing their potential will be essential if we are to come out of the other side of another recession with a brighter future ahead. Crucially, if we don’t fix this now, we risk storing up more problems for generations to come, exacerbating productivity shortfalls and social inequalities in the long term,” Donnelly said.