A new analysis of the ongoing pandemic's economic effects on the UK warns of a jobs crisis that is set to affect up to a million young people within weeks. The research, conducted by one of the UK's leading labour-market experts, Paul Gregg reveals that almost 1 million vulnerable 16 to 23 year olds will face significant barriers to work when the furlough scheme ends in October.
The new study finds that the end of furlough, the scarcity of new positions and the arrival of school and college leavers in the job market will present young people with bleak prospects unless more support is offered. Meanwhile, it is revealed that 20 MPs from Conservative seats in southern England, have written to Labour Party's Keir Starmer, and Greater Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, asking them to work with the government's regional policy.
The letter calls a national lockdown the wrong approach, adding that businesses would close and jobs would be lost in Manchester irrespective of a national or regional lockdown. It also claims that a national lockdown would cause tens of thousands of job losses in southern Tory constituencies.
Writing an article in a newspaper, former prime minister Gordon Brown said it is “barely believable” that a million young people would need urgent help in just two weeks' time. He added, “now, as then, youth unemployment in the north, Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and in the inner cities will exceed 20%. Young people there need local and national government working together to help them through. But the very areas with the greatest needs are the ones who are protesting that the centre listens to them least.”
