One-in-Eight Young People: Misunderstood and Misused

Abstract

This paper interrogates UK government policy-making centred on the one-in-eight 18–24-year-olds who are recorded as ‘inactive’ in the Labour Force Survey. It is argued that the actual situations of these ‘inactive’ young people are misrepresented. Furthermore, no sound case is made for using the existence of this group to tighten the eligibility of all age groups for certain out-of-work welfare benefits thereby inflicting more hardship on some of the country’s poorest households. Meanwhile, the actual difficulties faced by young entrants to the workforce in the 2020s remain unaddressed.