Public backs more support for young people as youth joblessness reaches 16%

Nearly half (49%) of the public believe younger unemployed people need more support from the Government to help them find work, according to polling by Opinium and British Retail Consortium.

The findings come as official figures revealed youth unemployment has risen to 16%, with 713,000 people aged 16 to 24 currently out of work.

The polling found younger unemployed people were the group most likely to be identified as needing additional Government support, ahead of disabled people (41%), working-age unemployed people (36%) and those unemployed for more than 12 months (35%).

A separate question found that 53% of respondents agreed the Government should “reduce the cost and requirements for employers when hiring people under 25”, while only 7% disagreed.

Concern over youth unemployment was highest in Wales, where 63% of respondents said younger unemployed people should receive more support.

The British Retail Consortium said rising employment costs are making it harder for employers to create entry-level jobs.

Businesses have faced increases to the National Living Wage, higher employer National Insurance Contributions and a lower threshold for employer NIC payments over the past two years, increasing employment costs for retailers by more than £6bn.

Retail remains one of the UK’s largest entry points into employment, employing around 2.8 million people, including 780,000 workers aged 16 to 25.

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of British Retail Consortium, said: “Opportunities for young people are disappearing in front of our eyes.

“The reasons are clear: hiring is more expensive and businesses costs are soaring.

“The public want decisive action by government to get people – particularly young people – back into work.

“This is critical for their future, and the future of our economy.”

Dickinson added: “Instead we see government pushing up the cost of hiring, from last year’s National Insurance hike to poor implementation of parts of the Employment Rights Act.

“We are sleepwalking towards a jobless generation unless government halts the upwards spiral of employment costs and red tape.”