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Over 124,000 young Britons have been on Universal Credit every month since turning 18, new report reveals
A new report has found that 124,164 people aged 25 and under have claimed Universal Credit every single month since the age of 18, equivalent to a town the size of Lincoln. Shadow Work Secretary Helen Whateley highlighted that 300,000 fewer jobs exist since Labour took power, with young people hardest hit.
A shocking new analysis has revealed that over 124,000 young people in Britain have been stuck on Universal Credit since the day they turned 18. The report found that 124,164 individuals aged 25 and under have claimed the benefit every single month since reaching adulthood, a figure roughly equivalent to the population of the city of Lincoln. The findings have reignited the debate about youth worklessness and the structural barriers facing young people entering the British job market.
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Helen Whateley told GB News that the situation reflects a broader crisis in the availability of employment opportunities. She highlighted that since Labour came to power, over 300,000 fewer jobs exist in the economy, with a drop of 100,000 in March alone. Whateley emphasised that when fewer jobs are available, young people and those without prior work experience are disproportionately affected and pushed to the back of the queue.
The scale of competition for available positions paints a stark picture. At major employers such as Next, there are reportedly 19 applicants for every single job vacancy. Young jobseekers have described applying for hundreds of positions only to receive waves of rejections or hear nothing at all. One young person recently told the Shadow Work Secretary that he had applied for over 200 jobs without success, describing the experience as deeply demoralising.
Critics argue that government policies have inadvertently removed the bottom rungs of the employment ladder for young people. The significant increases to the minimum wage, while beneficial for those in work, have made employers more cautious about hiring inexperienced workers. The ongoing abolition of zero-hours contracts, which previously provided flexible entry-level employment opportunities for students and young people, has further reduced the availability of starter roles that traditionally served as a pathway into the workforce.
The report also highlighted the additional burden of increased National Insurance contributions on employers, which Whateley described as effectively a tax on jobs that discourages hiring. The combination of higher employment costs, fewer available positions and the removal of flexible working arrangements has created what experts describe as a perfect storm for youth unemployment. With the economy showing signs of strain and the cost of living remaining elevated, breaking the cycle of worklessness among Britain's youngest adults has become one of the most pressing social policy challenges facing the country.