UK’s “Lost Generation” on the Brink – BCC’s Eye‑Opening Warning
Our Business Chambers’ top brass have just dropped a truth bomb: the UK’s future is hanging by a thread, and it’s down to the youth. No more idle hands or lost talents – the government must jump in before Generation Z slips away.
Why the Alarm Is So Loud
- Nearly a million Gen‑Zers are stuck out of work, school, or training – a spike of 110,000 since the end of 2023.
- Out of the 987,000 NEETs, a staggering 395,000 are unemployed, with 595,000 living off the “economic inactive” desert.
- One in four want to work but mental health keeps them in the shadows – the Kings Trust says.
- Half the unemployed feel a “confidence gap”, and 45% can’t even list any of their skills.
Where the Numbers Seat the Problem
It’s a classic case of a shrinking talent pool that is slipping through the cracks. 48% fewer vacancies means young people face blocking walls in every career path. The result? A boomer‑heavy workforce and a generational drop‑in… literally.
BCC’s Play‑Card for Change
Got a handy guide of concrete actions you can implement:
- Partner up with the government to give instant funding for school‑to‑work pathways.
- Help small firms eat into the young talent queue by providing tax rebates for hiring and training under‑25 staff.
- Launch an early‑health crusade inside offices to keep staff fit and avoid late‑career retirements.
- Set a “benchmark” to shrink the NEET rate to the Netherlands’ top‑tier level – that’s a £69 bn boost to UK output.
- Bring together businesses, educators, and charities to patch the disconnect, already in the works by the BCC’s own “People & Work Challenge” squad.
Politicians and Employers: It’s Time to Team Up
The BCC’s Director General, Shevaun Haviland, sums it up: “When we leave talent drift, we lose hope. The changes now are simple, but they need a top‑to‑bottom push. The cost‑pressure rain on SMEs might be clouding this, but we’re not going to let the younger generation vanish.”
Takeaway: Let’s Stop the Generation Gap
In plain English, we’re all in this together. Talk to your local chamber, push for funding, and let’s get those desks back in the hands of the next generation. Because at the end of the day, out of work, out of learning, out of life isn’t just a policy headline – it’s a very real risk to our future.
