Correction: Half of public say young people need more support into work

Correction: The embargo has been pushed back to 7th May 2026.

Nearly half (49%) of the public believe younger unemployed people need more support from Government to get a job, according to new polling by Opinium and the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This comes at a time when official figures show youth unemployment has climbed to 16%, with 713,000 people aged 16-24 out of work.

When asked which groups needed more support from the UK Government to get jobs, younger unemployed people topped the list, followed by those with disabilities (41%), working age unemployed (36%), and those out of work for longer than 12 months (35%).

Employment costs have been rising fast, making it harder for businesses to offer entry-level roles and pushing youth unemployment steadily higher. In the last two years businesses have faced two rises to the National Living Wage, a rise in the employer National Insurance Contributions (NIC) tax rate, and a drop in the employer NIC threshold for payment. This has pushed up the costs of employment for retailers by well over £6bn in just two years.

Concern about youth unemployment was highest in Wales, where 63% of respondents said there should be more support for younger unemployed. This comes just before Welsh voters go to the polls to elect a new parliament.

A second question asked whether people agreed or disagreed that government should “reduce the cost and requirements for employers when hiring people under 25”. This showed 53% agreeing, and only 7% disagreeing (see full polling results in notes).

While initiatives like the Youth Guarantee are a step forward, it is unlikely to meet the scale of the challenge. Retail is ready to step up to support young people across the country. The industry is one of the country's biggest gateways into work, employing around 2.8m people, including 780,000 16-25-year-olds who account for 28% of its workforce.

Both the BRC and the public believe that more must be done to support young people into work and avoid unemployment rising even higher. Essential to this is government playing its part in reducing the costs of employment for businesses. This includes expanding youth employment schemes and ensuring the implementation of the Employment Rights Act strikes the right balance in ensuring it gives workers meaningful protection without adding unnecessary cost and complexity to hiring.

Going forward, policymakers must work closely with large employing sectors like retail to ensure reforms reflect real-world conditions and do not unintentionally shut young people out of jobs. The more the Act raises the cost of employment, the more young people will pay the price.

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. 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."

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

The BRC sent this release to our “Employment” and “Retail Trades” media list(s). To check/update what media lists you are on, please contact us below:  

For media enquiries:  

  
BRC Press Office  
Lara Conradie
T: 020 7854 8924   

M: 07845 271664
E: lara.conradie@brc.org.uk / media@brc.org.uk

*The Employment Rights Act introduces a right for workers on zero-hours and low-hours contracts to request guaranteed working hours.

• The BRC argues the greatest risk of abuse lies with very low-hours contracts, rather than the wide range of flexible roles relied on by parents, carers, students and people with health conditions. 
• Targeting guaranteed hours protections at contracts of eight hours a week or fewer, alongside a reference period of at least 26 weeks - ideally a full year - would better reflect seasonal working patterns and ensure reforms address genuine problems without undermining flexible jobs that work well for both employees and employers.
  
  

Methodology:

Fieldwork conducted by Opinium for the BRC. The sample included 2,000 UK adults.

• Respondents were asked:
  
  

Which, if any, of the following groups do you think need more support from the UK Government to get jobs?

• Younger unemployed people (up to 24 years old): 49%
• People with disabilities 41%
• Working aged unemployed people (25-54 years old): 36%
• Those who have been out of work for more than 12 months: 35%
• Older unemployed people (55+): 33%
• People who are looking for part-time work (e.g. people who have care responsibilities, students etc.): 28%
• Women returning from maternity leave: 20%
• Parents of school aged children: 19%
• People who need a second job (i.e. cannot live on the income from a single job): 19%
• Those living outside the major cities: 17%
• Don't know: 12%
• N/A – I don't think the Government needs to support any people to find work more than they already do: 6%
  
  

To what extent do you agree or disagree that the government should reduce the cost and requirements for employers when hiring people under 25, in order to help younger people find a job?

• “Strong agree” or “Tend to agree”: 53%
• “Neither agree / disagree”: 25%
• “Strongly disagree” or “Tend to disagree”: 7%
• “Not sure”: 15%