BBC
Hassan says he faced constant anxiety after finishing his studies two years ago
Young people must “earn or learn” or face seeing their benefits cut, under government plans to get them back to work and grow the economy.
Official figures suggest that almost a million young people were deprived of education, employment or training between July and September.
Job agencies and mental health support services will receive more funding to help people find work, the government has announced. However, business leaders said increasing employers' national insurance contributions and the minimum wage would leave them with less money to create new jobs.
The BBC spoke to young people who have not yet entered the job market as well as those who have chosen to leave it.
“This doesn’t happen to our generation”
Hassan, 20, from Birmingham, completed his bachelor's degree in 2022 and has been unemployed since.
“This year has been a constant struggle…I want to find a job, but how do I find a job? And how to write the right CV? And how to apply?
He receives help in these struggles from the King's Trust.
Hassan was unable to take his GCSE exams because of the covid pandemic and said taking formal exams for the first time at 18 was “overwhelming”.
“I realized that what I had called 'stress' for many years was actually anxiety…I had been carrying it with me for so long,” he said.
“There's a lot of talk these days about mental health…but many people think it's overrepresented…which makes you feel unsafe trying to identify the issues you're facing in your life daily. »
The government's Get Britain Working plan states that places with the highest unemployment rates will receive additional support from the NHS, including additional mental health specialists.
Hassan's poor mental health during his final year of school caused him to delay his university application, but due to the rising cost of tuition, he is no longer sure if it is right for him. agrees.
“There's this thing that's still sold to us, which is the idea that you have to get good grades, go to college, get a job, a house and start a family, but that's not like that… it’s not the case. that is happening to our generation. »
“What more can I give?
Amy Wilkes
Amy says there isn't enough support to help people find work
Amy Wilkes, 23, from Coventry, has a degree in criminology, policing and investigation, but said she received no responses when she applied for jobs.
“It’s really frustrating, destructive and devastating,” said Amy, who has been volunteering with the witness service for more than a year.
“It’s very difficult to find a job, let alone a career,” she said.
The last job she applied for was in victim support, but was told she didn't have enough experience.
“What more can I give? I have a relevant degree and lots of volunteering experience,” she said.
She told the BBC that her morale can sometimes drop and she sometimes struggles emotionally, especially since “applying for loads of jobs is exhausting.”
Young people who refuse to work risk having their benefits cut, the Work and Pensions Secretary has said.
If her benefits were taken away, Amy says she would find herself “in a tough situation,” although she would be “really open to any experience because it will all help her.”
“I really want to work, but it’s finding the work that’s difficult. There is not enough support to help people find additional support and work.
“Young people need help and not sanctions”
Kiarna says people need to better understand the impact poor mental health can have on people
Kiarna, 18, from Birmingham, said her struggle to find a job began in sixth form, where she felt misunderstood due to her learning difficulties and mental health problems.
“I went to university… but I felt like they didn't understand me, they complained about me, picked on me… they didn't understand that for someone with difficulty learning, it's really difficult to learn things…it takes more time. to make it click in your head,” she said.
Kiarna said the lack of support and structure after completing formal education had also been a barrier to finding employment. She now receives help from the Kings Trust.
“My daily life consisted of watching my family members go to work and college and trying to figure out what my next step was,” she said.
“For kids who have mental health issues, as soon as you stop going to college, you don't know what's going to happen next… it really hits you hard.
“The government should listen and hear young people clearly… and say that it will do more to encourage them to work, not punish them. »
“I would love to work but childcare is too expensive”
Fiona button
Ms Button says the cost of childcare means she could end up paying to work.
Fiona Button, 48, from London, left the workforce 10 years ago to care for her three children, after struggling to find suitable childcare. “Frankly, I would love to go out and get a job,” Ms Button said. She added that she was tentatively looking for part-time or freelance work as an editor.
But she added that “domestic responsibilities are not things that go away” and that she had no one to turn to for help looking after her children. His partner runs a business of 150 people which requires a lot of his time, and all four of their parents are deceased.
Fiona said that if she got a job, she could potentially end up paying to work due to the cost of hiring a nanny. She added: “Childcare is expensive and it's easier and less complicated if I do it myself because there are fewer moving parts to coordinate.”
In particular, school holidays and sick leave exacerbate the challenge of ensuring flexible childcare.
“I am much happier after retiring at 55”
Andrew Bullock
Mr Bullock says stopping work gave him more time to do what he loves
Andrew Bullock, 61, from Coventry, has chosen to stop his teaching work at 55.
“It no longer satisfied me and I didn't like having to be managed by people much younger than me,” he said.
“Since I stopped working, I have been using my time to care for family and friends, volunteer and spend more time traveling abroad.”
Andrew now spends more time visiting his mother in the care home and next year he will start caring for his granddaughter when she returns to work after maternity leave.
Andrew owns a few rental properties and does the maintenance work himself. He doesn't think the government can encourage him to return to work.
He says he lives “pretty well” because his hobbies are inexpensive and he has “enough income to live off the rental of his properties and part of my pension.”
“I’m much happier now, doing what I love,” Andrew added.
