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Yorkshire Times
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4:22 PM 16th June 2020
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Unemployment In 18-24 Year Olds Doubles In Two Months

 
Today’s labour market statistics from Office for National Statistics show that the number of young people claiming unemployment benefit has risen dramatically.

Responding to the report Jonathan Townsend, UK Chief Executive of youth charity, The Prince’s Trust, has made the following comment:

“Today’s figures show that the number of young people claiming unemployment benefit has already more than doubled in two months. The harsh reality is that the nation is facing a jobs crisis greater than any in living memory.

“It’s imperative that young people are supported to upskill and reskill now, and that they can access suitable job opportunities and training. Otherwise, we risk losing them to long-term unemployment at the very moment we need their potential more than ever, to support the recovery of our economy.”

Today’s ONS data:

The 18-24 claimant count has more than doubled in the two months from March to May (from 235 thousand to 523 thousand, 2.2 times higher) (Taken from ONS claimant count by age group data) (Nomis figures which are not seasonally adjusted vary slightly, but still show the claimant count has more than doubled.)
The 18-24 claimant count has increased by 148% compared to the same period last year (Also from ONS claimant count by age group data)
Unemployment figures from ONS today show that young people are increasingly more likely to face unemployment than the rest of the working age population. Figures released in April showed young people were four times more likely to be unemployed as the rest of the working age population and today’s figures show they are 4.3 times more likely to be unemployed.