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Original poster

Nearly 1m young people out of work

708 replies

Starfeesh · 26/02/2026 13:21

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62gzl2yl24o

AIBU to be concerned that a life on benefits seems to be a viable option, and glad Labour are bringing in compulsory work placements?

A young man looks at his phone while sitting at a computer in his home. He looks weary.

Young people out of work, training and education edges closer to one million

People at the start of their careers are particularly affected by the UK's weak job market.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62gzl2yl24o

OP posts:
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1apenny2apenny · 26/02/2026 13:40

I think the figure is much worse than that.Presumably this only includes those signing on and claiming benefits? There are thousands being supported by their parents who won’t be on this list. I would encourage any YP out of work and less than £16k to sign on although we still won’t get an accurate figure. These very same parents are being hammered for tax left right and centre.

It is a worry esp if they then start having children still no job.

RhaenysRocks · 26/02/2026 13:39

Read the comments on any fb post about someone else being turned down from a retail or fast food job. For every workshy, lazy 'snowflake' there are dozens who just want an entry level position. Soulless, AI portals with no constructive feedback, loss of traditional weekend jobs for 16-18 yo. It is a crisis but it's not because most youngsters don't want to work.

Ablondiebutagoody · 26/02/2026 13:38

Smeuse · 26/02/2026 13:37

You want lower wages and lower benefits?

Show quote history

Correct

Fizbosshoes · 26/02/2026 13:37

My DD is a 2nd year uni student, she applied for probably 60-70 jobs before getting one and probably 20-30 more before her current job. Its zero hours contract and some months she's barely doing 8-12 hrs a month....obviously she's at uni ....but she potentially would included as "employed" but the hours are minimal. She took the job with the agreement it would be about 8 hours a week over 2 shifts, but some weeks she gets no shifts.

Smeuse · 26/02/2026 13:37

Ablondiebutagoody · 26/02/2026 13:32

Labour won't bring in compulsory work placements. All the shitty schemes in the World won't make a jot of difference when it now costs so much to employ young people.

The deal forever has been "yes, you are young, have no experience, will mess up, will take time to train.......but you are cheap so I will take you on and see how you go". That's not the case anymore. My company always took on school leavers but we haven't done that for years. Might as well employ somebody experienced. And the last thing I would want is some divvy who is forced to be here on a compulsory placement.

Over generous benefits don't help either. Welfare should be slashed.

You want lower wages and lower benefits?

Original poster
Starfeesh · 26/02/2026 13:34

Ablondiebutagoody · 26/02/2026 13:32

Labour won't bring in compulsory work placements. All the shitty schemes in the World won't make a jot of difference when it now costs so much to employ young people.

The deal forever has been "yes, you are young, have no experience, will mess up, will take time to train.......but you are cheap so I will take you on and see how you go". That's not the case anymore. My company always took on school leavers but we haven't done that for years. Might as well employ somebody experienced. And the last thing I would want is some divvy who is forced to be here on a compulsory placement.

Over generous benefits don't help either. Welfare should be slashed.

Would slashing welfare actually help though? Those 24 year olds who have never worked, have no qualifications and no drive - what would they actually do? We can’t make them homeless.

OP posts:
socks1107 · 26/02/2026 13:33

It’s a crisis that so many are out of work. I know of four, three genuinely can’t be bothered and have no drive to improve things or find work with their parents not working so no incentive or role model, one is trying but quit a perfectly good job because he didn’t like the hours and is now unemployed again

Ablondiebutagoody · 26/02/2026 13:32

Labour won't bring in compulsory work placements. All the shitty schemes in the World won't make a jot of difference when it now costs so much to employ young people.

The deal forever has been "yes, you are young, have no experience, will mess up, will take time to train.......but you are cheap so I will take you on and see how you go". That's not the case anymore. My company always took on school leavers but we haven't done that for years. Might as well employ somebody experienced. And the last thing I would want is some divvy who is forced to be here on a compulsory placement.

Over generous benefits don't help either. Welfare should be slashed.