An office of National Statistics (ONS) study was recently conducted into the rising rates of unemployment among the youth of Great Britain before, and over the course of the pandemic.
The study was published on the 12th of October 2021, and focuses on the age range between 16 to 24.
“By historical standards, unemployment levels for young people remain low.”
The report found that young people in full-time education are more likely to be employed than young people who were not in full-time education.
The impact of Covid-19 on Youth Unemployment rates
The study confirms that following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a large fall in the employment rates of people aged 16 to 24, and a larger rise in ‘economically inactive’ (neither in, nor looking for employment) young people.
“Unemployment levels are now below pre-pandemic levels”
The report also states that people aged 18 to 24 claiming unemployment related benefits more than doubled at the start of the pandemic, from March to May 2020. The number of claimants more than a year later, in July 2021, was still 136,600. Higher than March 2020, an increase of 58%.
*All quotes and statistics taken from the Office of National Statistics- Youth Unemployment Statistics report published on the 12th of October 2021 by Andrew Powell, Brigid Francis-Devine, Harriet Clark
