Britain’s Lost Generation of Workers

Nearly a million youth aren’t working, in school or job training

WSJ editorial. Excerpts:

"one in eight of its working-age youth currently aren’t employed, in school or in job training."

"Nearly 60% of these youth aren’t even looking for work, and more than half have never held a job."

"Nearly half of Britain’s idle youth now claim to have a work-limiting disability. And more than 42% cite mental health problems as their primary condition"

"The U.K. spent £52 billion in the 2024-2025 fiscal year on overall working-age, health-related benefits, up from £36 billion five years earlier" 

"the cumulative annual cost of a million idle youth at £125 billion, or nearly $168 billion—more than Britain spends on education each year."

"opportunity costs from lost revenue and economic potential."

"Steadily rising payroll taxes for employers—and a minimum wage that has increased by as much as 84% since 2019 for some younger age cohorts—are pricing young, inexperienced workers out of the job market."