IPPR report reveals regional job gaps for UK youth

A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has identified significant regional disparities in job opportunities for young people across the United Kingdom. The analysis, which introduced a ‘local youth opportunity index’, reveals that young people in Rotherham face a job market with the fewest suitable vacancies in the country, with only one suitable vacancy for every 22 people aged 18 to 24. In contrast, the Cotswolds offers one vacancy for every four young people in the same age bracket.

The research highlights a geographic divide, noting that nine of the ten areas with the highest number of suitable vacancies per young person are located in Southern England. Conversely, areas such as Sheffield, Coventry, Cardiff, and parts of the Midlands and Scotland ranked near the bottom of the index.

The IPPR suggests these disparities contribute to the number of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET). The report also notes an apprenticeship gap between different industries and indicates that approximately half of those in the NEET category do not receive Universal Credit support. These findings arrive as the UK government awaits a review into youth worklessness led by Alan Milburn.