Impact of youth unemployment

The Prince's Trust has published The Impact of Long-Term Youth Unemployment, highlighting the increase in the number of young people facing long-term unemployment in the UK.

The analysis of employment statistics contained within the report shows that:

• The number of 18-24-year-olds unemployed for more than two years has reached 115,000 its highest level since May-July 1994;
• The number of 16-24-year-olds in employment was 3,582,000 in April - June 2013), the lowest figure since records began in 1992. The rate of young people in employment was also the joint lowest since records began  at 49 percent; and
• The Trust has seen long-term unemployed young people on its programmes rise by a third in three years.

The Prince’s Trust is calling for urgent investment from government and the private sector to support young people who are long-term unemployed.

To download the report www.princes-trust.org.uk/pdf/the-impact-of-long-term-youth-unemployment-by-youth-charity-the-princes-trust-october-2013.pdf.

The Office for National Statistics has published the latest labour market statistics, which show that:

• In the three months to September 2013, there were 965,000 unemployed 16 to 24 years olds, down 9,000 from the previous quarter and up 3,000 on the same quarter in 2012;
• The unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 21 percent, down 0.4 percentage points from the previous quarter; and
• The number of 16 to 24 years olds unemployed for over a year increased to 281,000 (from 274,000) and the number unemployed for over two years rose to 114,000 (from 109,000).

For further information visit www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/lms/labour-market-statistics/november-2013/statistical-bulletin.html#tab-Young-people-in-the-labour-market.

The Department for Work and Pensions has also published figures on Jobseeker's Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance sanctions, which show that:

• Between October 2012 and June 2013, the number of unemployed people that have had sanctions applied to their jobseekers' allowance (JSA) increased by 13 percent; and
• of the 580,000 sanctions issued over that period, 43 percent were against 18-24 year olds (and 18-24 year olds made up 27 percent of total JSA claimants).

The TUC has published The Gender Jobs Split: How young men and women experience the labour market. The report on labour market changes over the past 20 years and how they have affected young men and young women shows that:

• in 2011 about 20 percent of young men were in skilled trades compared with 1 percent of young women, and 20 percent of young women were in personal services compared with 5 percent of young men;
• Unemployment is high for both young men and young women with just over 60 percent of all unemployed and 70 percent of the long term unemployed are young men, but young women are more likely to quit an active job search and move into inactivity from unemployment.

To download the report visit www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/The_Gender_Jobs_Split_Touchstone_Extra_2013_FINAL.PDF.

The World Health Organisation has published the final report of the Review of social determinants and the health divide in the WHO European Region. The report states that youth unemployment in the UK is a public health time bomb waiting to explode.

To download the report visit www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/health-policy/health-2020-the-european-policy-for-health-and-well-being/publications/2013/review-of-social-determinants-and-the-health-divide-in-the-who-european-region.-final-report.