Highest ever level of unemployment for the young

21/11/2011

Youth unemployment has reached its highest level since records began almost 20 years ago, according to new figures.

The Office of National Statistics has confirmed that more than one in five people between the age of 16 and 24 are unemployed. An all-time high of 1.02 million was reached after the number of unemployed youngsters increased by 67,000 in three months.

Experts have warned of the consequences – leading to a ‘lost generation’ set to suffer from debt and depression.

Martina Milburn, chief executive of the youth charity The Prince’s Trust, told the Mail Online that reaching the one million mark is a ‘wake-up call for Britain’.

The statistics reveal that it is young people who are being most affected by lack of employment, with the number of people working falling by 197,000 between July and September – the biggest fall since the height of the recession.

Almost two-thirds of the fall is made up of young people between the age of 16 and 24.

Tags; Current UK Economy, Income Worries and Debt, Recent Graduate Debt, Job loss,