Unemployed, unvaccinated and unhappy: why are youngsters still bearing the brunt of Covid?

There is a reality all too close to our own, where, after a year and a half of lockdowns, the upcoming summer sees the UK split into two camps. The first, fully-vaccinated, jetting off to green-listed destinations abroad, and the second, the young and unvaccinated, stuck in rainy England, skimping pennies and booking tables months in advance just to get into the pub.

For the predominantly young and unvaccinated, this is a worst-case scenario; months of putting our lives on hold only to have the parameters of lockdown expanded from the four walls of our homes to the British borders. As of Monday, travellers and holiday-makers could use the NHS app (not to be confused with the NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app) to prove they have had a vaccine, the first step towards a Covid passport, to the detriment of the young.

Good news for travel agents though: a recent survey by Ipsos Mori found that 47 per cent of people in the UK have been saving more money due to the pandemic, suggesting there is disposable income aplenty to be spent on holidays. But whilst the vaccinated gleefully hand over their pandemic pounds in return for some much-needed escapism, one third of 18 to 34-year-olds say they have had to access money from their savings. Young people are also more likely to have had to borrow money from family and friends, use credit cards more frequently or access an overdraft due to the pandemic.

The circumstances that have enabled some penny-pinching are the same across all age groups; no commuting and no meals out or trips away. Yet according to YouGov, 49 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 37 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds are concerned that they won’t be able to afford their mortgage or rent in coming months. The number of people aged 18 to 24 claiming unemployment related benefits has also increased 114 per cent from March 2020 to April 2021.

When the first lockdown began last March, the growing financial insecurities of the young were evident. Those of us who had just finished school or university found ourselves staring into the face of hiring ban after hiring ban, perpetually postponed grad schemes and cancelled internships or apprenticeships. For those who were in previously stable jobs, furlough and pay cuts came thick and fast. According to the Institute for Employment Studies (IES), 47 per cent of people furloughed in the UK were under 24.

The economy was struggling, businesses were nervous – junior employees were at the bottom of the pile and the first to go. It was young people who were more likely to be working in sectors that were unable to continue during lockdown too; as of 2019, 22 per cent of 22 to 25-year-olds were working in hospitality and retail. And even if you did retain a job, when you’re just above minimum wage, the company-wide pay cut is the difference between being able to cover rent and not. Employment levels for those aged 16 to 24 is still down 13.1 per cent as of March 2021. 

For those who have found or retained employment, the pandemic has often stunted career progression. Not only does working from home make it harder to learn by observing your higher-ups and removing networking opportunities, but the job market is also currently at its most competitive, making it harder to negotiate salaries or seek out new jobs. A survey by The Prince’s Trust found 60 per cent of young people say getting a new job feels “impossible” and, according to the Hope Not Hate campaign group, 55 per cent of young people believe their options for the future are now limited.

Last month, the One Nation caucus of Conservative MPs released a report arguing for everyone aged 18 to 24 to be given a £500 lump sum to boost coronavirus recovery. The suggestion was quickly disregarded by the government, but considering the unemployment and furlough statistics, is it really that absurd a suggestion? To boost the hospitality industry, finance experts have estimated that each UK adult needs to buy 124 pints this year, one could argue it would be a good idea to give the hardest hit age group a helping hand with their British duty to drink the economy back to good health.

The extra obstacles to young people’s success brought about by the pandemic should not be so easily forgotten. Just as school children will be behind in their education, young people will be behind on career trajectories and pushed a further few rungs back on that unicorn-like housing ladder. Those resisting lockdown easing should reflect on the comforts that allow them to pause time and live in limbo for over a year. Some of us are keen to get on with living and make up for the lost time. Our careers and bank balances depend on it.