Youth unemployment figures are dire
Despite the fact that yesterday's headline employment figures were better than expected and showed an increase in employment numbers there are now grave concerns regarding youth employment in the UK. It was revealed last 72,000 people in the age range 18 to 24 had been unemployed for 24 months or longer in the three months to June 2010. This is an increase of 42% on the corresponding figure last year and up more than 10% on the previous quarter.
It was also revealed by the Office for National Statistics that an additional 184,000 young workers in the UK have been unemployed for more than 12 months in the three-month period to June 2010. Internationally the situation is no better with the International Labour Organisation revealing that youth unemployment on a global scale reached a high of 13% in 2009. There are now grave concerns that a whole generation of young workers could be lost to the benefits system which has trapped many people for many years.
While yesterday's release of the unemployment figures was welcomed by investors and the financial press, it just goes to show that under the surface the situation may not be as buoyant as we are being led to believe.
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