A stark new report paints a grim picture for Britain’s young people, warning of a ‘lost generation’ as record numbers struggle to find work. The study, published by the Resolution Foundation, reveals that a typical young jobseeker now submits 400 applications before receiving an offer. For many, the hunt for stable employment has become a demoralising cycle of rejection.
‘This is not just a statistic,’ said Nye Cominetti, senior economist at the foundation. ‘These are real people, real lives, real futures being put on hold. The pandemic, Brexit, and the cost of living crisis have converged to create a perfect storm for the under-25s.’ The report highlights that youth unemployment has risen to 13.5%, the highest in six years, while real wages for young workers have fallen 7% since 2019.
One of those caught in the trap is 22-year-old Liam Thompson from Doncaster. A university graduate with a 2:1 in business management, he has sent out over 400 applications since last summer. ‘I’ve had three interviews,’ he told me. ‘Each time I get through two rounds, then they go with someone with more experience. How am I meant to get experience if no one gives me a chance?’ Liam now works zero-hours in a warehouse, earning £9.50 an hour, barely enough to cover rent and bills. ‘I feel like I’m being left behind.’
The damning report comes as the government faces mounting pressure to address regional inequality. The North East and Yorkshire have been hit hardest, with youth unemployment rates exceeding 17%. In contrast, London and the South East have seen lower increases, widening the geographic divide. ‘We are sleepwalking into a two-tier society,’ said Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. ‘Young people outside the prosperous south-east are facing a futures market of meagre prospects and low pay.’
The report also points to a sharp rise in ‘negative activity’ among 18-24 year olds, meaning they are neither in work, education, nor training. The number has surged by 100,000 in the past year to over 800,000. ‘This is a ticking time bomb,’ warned Cominetti. ‘Long spells out of work and education damage earnings potential for decades.’
The government has defended its record, citing the Kickstart scheme and apprenticeships. But critics argue these measures are too little, too late. ‘A few thousand placements won’t plug the gap,’ said Laura Gardiner, director of the Living Wage Foundation. ‘We need a proper industrial strategy that invests in the regions and creates real, secure jobs.’
For Liam, the daily grind of applications is taking its toll. ‘Some days I just want to give up. But what else can I do?’ His story is echoed by thousands across the country, frustrated and forgotten. As the cost of living bites harder, the dream of a stable career is slipping away for a generation that expected better.
