Long-term youth unemployment rises by more than 40 per cent

The number of 18- to 24-year-olds who have been out of work for more than two years now stands at 72,000, while more than 17 per cent of this age group are unemployed.

Despite this, the number of young people in employment is up 1.4 per cent in the three months to June 2010 compared to the previous quarter.

A TUC report released to coincide with the ONS statistics is warning that some areas in the UK are being hit particularly hard by long-term youth unemployment.

Analysis of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants from across the UK found that the number of long-term young unemployed people more than doubled in 10 local authorities in the past six months.

In Medway the number of long-term unemployed 18- to 24-year-olds rose by 158 per cent, in West Lothian by 121 per cent and in South Ayrshire by 120 per cent.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber warned that government is ignoring the plight of unemployed young people.

"Young people were hit particularly hard by the recession and with the government focusing on spending cuts, rather than getting people back into work, they may not fare much better during the recovery," he said.

"Previous investment in employment schemes helped to keep many thousands of young people off benefits and in paid work. But having made an early decision to scrap the £1.2bn Future Jobs Fund and the Young Person’s Guarantee, the government has yet to announce similarly well-funded support to get people back into decent paid work."