UK Youth Job Crisis: Mental Health And AI Worsen UK Youth Jobs Crisis | WION

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]Next up, here's an update from Britain, which is facing a deep youth employment crisis with a government commission review warning that the country risks creating a lost generation.

[00:00:12]The report says the number of young people not in education, employment, or training could rise from nearly 1 million today to 1.25 million within 5 years if urgent action is not taken.

[00:00:26]The UK's youth employment unemployment rate has climbed to 16.2%. That's the highest level since 2014 and more than three times the overall unemployment rate.

[00:00:38]The report says the education, health, and welfare systems are failing to prepare young people for adult life and participation in the workforce.

[00:00:48]A major concern highlighted in the review is a sharp decline in entry-level opportunities across the UK economy.

[00:00:55]Sectors such as hospitality and retail, which traditionally employed younger workers, have slowed hiring significantly in the recent years.

[00:01:04]Hospitality vacancies alone have fallen by 50% over the last 4 years.

[00:01:10]While apprenticeships starts have dropped by more than a third over the past decade.

[00:01:17]Businesses and economists say that rising employment costs are partly responsible for the slowdown.

[00:01:22]Employers have faced higher payroll taxes and increased minimum wages, which is leading many firms to scale back recruitment, particularly for first-time workers.

[00:01:32]At the same time, the rise of artificial intelligence is reducing the number of basic entry-level roles available to younger job seekers.

[00:01:42]The growing youth job crisis is also becoming a political challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government.

[00:01:49]Rising unemployment among young people has contributed to dissatisfaction with labor, particularly among younger voters who are increasingly shifting support toward alternative parties.

[00:02:01]The government has defended its policies, arguing that it is already taking steps to improve youth employment.

[00:02:07]The government has also announced a 2.5 billion pound package aimed at creating 1 million opportunities for young people.

[00:02:16]However, critics argue that recent increases in labor costs have made companies more cautious about hiring young workers.

[00:02:24]The report concludes that without urgent reforms across education, welfare, and employment systems, Britain risks leaving a growing number of young people disconnected from both work and training for the years to come.

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