FactCheck: Youth unemployment – how bad is it really?
Youth unemployment sailed past the million mark last month with much furore, prompting the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to wade into the numerical waters. FactCheck takes a look at the findings.
Firstly, it has been worse in recent years, the ONS said. Today, 10 per cent of young people (excluding students) are out of work. Yet the aftermath of the last two recessions saw higher levels of youth unemployment: 12 per cent in 1993 and 14 per cent in 1984 (unemployment traditionally lags recessions).
The rising number of students since the 1990s has pushed up unemployment numbers hugely – as they look for work to help pay their way through university. Today 30 per cent of the 1.04m unemployed 16-24 year olds are students. In 1992 it was just 9.2 per cent.
Better qualified and older ‘young’ people are more likely to find employment than those with few qualifications to their names, the ONS found. Around 26 per cent of 16 year olds who left school with one GCSE are currently unemployed, and for 18 year olds with one GCSE the figure sits at 27 per cent.
Eighteen year olds who left school with an A-level are faring better, with 20 per cent unemployed; and that falls to 7 per cent for 24 year olds with an A-level.
For 24 year olds with a degree, the picture is rosier – with unemployment down to 5 per cent. Those fresh out of university aged 21 however are facing a tougher market, with 25 per cent currently out of work.
The highest unemployment rate in June 2011 was in London at 24 per cent, and the lowest in the South West at 15 per cent.
By Emma Thelwell
Follow @FactCheck on Twitter
There are 3 comments on this post
On the statistics for students, it would be interesting to know the difference in the actual number of students in 1993 and 2012, and of the socio-economic backgrounds that they come from.
That, alongside fees and increased cost of living at university which you mention, would help to compare more accurately the two years.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Cathy/Emma,
Well, that’s conclusive enough. Not that it matters too much to the Establishment, not as long as they can trouser billions and walk off laughing as usual.
Still, everything will be okay when unemployment drops below “only” 2.5 million hey? Particularly when the worst long term unemployment is concentrated outside London and ignored.
Here’s an interesting check to try to make: What would be the unemployment level if calculated using 1977 methods? My bet is it would be nearer to a total of 4 million. Every method change since 1977 has resulted in a lower aggregate figure.
It is no consolation to note that history shows any system which ignores its youth and honest citizens eventually pays the ultimate price. Always assuming they don’t find another world war to dispose of the “problem” in the usual fashion.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Its amazing and not surprising as C4 seems to have lost the plot in its news coverage in recent weeeks that there was no coverage today of Ed Miliband’s speach on youth unemployment. However you found time to devate a lot of space to sporting stories. I notice that your Froday coverage is often very weak. Pity C4 is following the general media bias against Labour.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0