Report: The power of potential - supporting the future of NEET young people in the labour market

Young people were hit especially hard by the economic impact of the pandemic. In March 2021, young people accounted for around two thirds of the total fall in employment since the start of the pandemic, and youth unemployment was almost four times higher than the rest of the working-age population. However, following an overall labour market recovery, the challenge is now quite different. The UK faces a recruitment crisis, with employers struggling to hire the staff they need for vital jobs. Despite record levels of job vacancies, employment rates are lower than pre-pandemic and levels of economic inactivity (people not involved in the labour market) have risen.