Employment rates for under-25s hits record low, ONS reveals
Fiona Simpson
Tuesday, April 20, 2021
The number of under-25s in payrolled employment is at its lowest level since records began, official figures show.
Latest data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that payrolled employment for under-25s has fallen to 3.43 million over the last quarter leading to record levels of economic inactivity among those aged 16 to 24.
-
Analysis: Why Kickstart scheme has failed to launch
-
Opinion: Kickstart must be a journey for the long term
“The economic inactivity rate for young people increased by a record 4.1 percentage points for the year, and 1.7 percentage points over the quarter, to a record high of 41.1 per cent,” the report states.
However, it adds that the proportion of young people in full-time education has reached a record high during the pandemic, at around 46 per cent.
Overall, more than half of people who lost their jobs in the UK over the last year were aged below 25, according to the ONS.
Of the 813,000 fall in UK employees from March last year until March this year, 53.7 per cent were under 25.
“Over the year, the largest falls in payrolled employment have been in the hospitality sector, among those aged under 25 years, and among those living in London,” the report states.
Campaigners are calling on the government to provide long-term support for young people left out of work due to the Covid-19 crisis.
Recommendations include extending the government’s Kickstart jobs scheme, which aims to provide paid work placements for young people, past December when it is due to end.
Eleanor Harrison, chief executive at youth charity Impetus, said: “With lockdown easing and the vaccine rollout success fostering a sense of optimism, we need to do everything possible to support young people into meaningful work, starting with the extension of the government’s flagship youth employment scheme, Kickstart. Many employers have had no choice but to delay their Kickstart placements given the continuing disruption of lockdowns. Extending Kickstart beyond December will give existing and potential Kickstart employers the time they need to implement their plans and offer thousands more young people the opportunity of employment.
“With yet more evidence that this pandemic has hit young people hardest in the jobs market, now is the time to give them the much-needed support they need to thrive. This investment will benefit us all.”
Labour MP Jonathan Reynolds, shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, wrote on Twitter: “Those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic deserve so much better than the slow and unambitious schemes coming from the government.
“Over half of all payrolled staff lost during this jobs crisis have been under 25. The number of young people needing to claim out-of-work support has more than doubled in the last year.
“It is clear that this crisis will continue to disproportionately impact young people and we know from past crises that period of unemployment now can have huge scarring effect on their future prospects.
“We need urgent action.”