Disadvantaged hit hardest as youth happiness at all time low

The Prince’s Trust’s Youth Index has recorded its lowest ranking in terms of happiness and confidence among young people since the survey first launched in 2009.

Wellbeing and confidence levels among disadvantaged young people are worse than that of their non-disadvantaged peers, the charity added.

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More than a quarter of those from poorer backgrounds said they always feel anxious. A similar proportion of those not in work, education or training (NEET) suffer from this level of anxiety, compared with 16 per cent of young people overall.

The impact of the pandemic has caused worsening wellbeing and mental health challenges among young people, the survey found.

Almost half of the 2,000 young people surveyed said the health crisis had left them feeling “burnt out” and with a mental health problem.

Similarly, 46 per cent said they had experienced self-loathing. The same proportion said the pandemic had made their mental health worse.

Almost a quarter believe they will never recover from the emotional impact of the pandemic.

Today, we're launching The Prince's Trust @NatWestGroup #YouthIndex. The report reveals the happiness and confidence of 16 to 25-year-olds has hit the lowest point in its thirteen-year history. Read the full report here > https://t.co/FQ5GjMuYxz pic.twitter.com/DQA98agJfQ

— PrincesTrust (@PrincesTrust) February 23, 2022

The charity has called for more action by politicians, businesses, and support services to help young people develop skills to secure work and help boost their confidence.

Finding work and training will help young people tackle a lack of money, which further worsens their mental health.

One in three say they are unhappy with their income and almost half say they never have enough money at the end of the month after paying their bills.

“The pandemic will be a scar for life on young people in the UK, unless we act now,” said Prince’s Trust chief executive Jonathan Townsend.

“This alarming downward spiral of anxiety, stress and lack of confidence for the future will impact young people today and in future generations, while widening the gap for the most disadvantaged.

“With the right support from businesses, government and charities we can turn this around and ensure young people have the right skills and confidence to feel positive about their future work, and about their life overall.”

Among other findings in the survey is that more than a fifth of young people believe they will fail in life. This rises to a third among young people who are NEET.