19th December 2025
As the UK labour market cools in 2025, young people are feeling the effects disproportionately. There are signs this may be contributing to higher emigration among this age group.
Although official data on migration motivations is limited, the latest statistics and surveys point to an interplay between lacklustre job prospects and growing numbers of young Brits considering or choosing to live and work abroad.
1. Weak Job Prospects for Young Workers
Young workers in the UK are facing a tough jobs landscape:
Nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds were neither in education, employment nor training (NEET) in mid-2025 — about 12.7% of this age group. This level is close to decade highs and reflects persistent difficulties in entering the labour market.
Data show that the unemployment rate for young people aged 16-24 is substantially higher than for older age groups — around 15.3% in the latest figures — even as overall employment rises modestly.
The UK's youth jobs performance is deteriorating relative to other advanced economies, with the country falling down global youth employment rankings due to weaker entry-level opportunities.
These conditions make it harder for young people to secure meaningful and sustainable employment when they finish education — a classic economic driver of migration.
2. Young People Considering or Actually Leaving the UK
There are two strands of evidence on this:
Survey evidence:
A British Council survey from late 2024 found that nearly three-quarters of 18–30-year-olds would consider living and working outside the UK, citing job opportunities and quality of life as major motivations. More than half said low wages were the biggest challenge at home.
Migration statistics:
According to Office for National Statistics data for the year to June 2025, net migration to the UK fell sharply — a 69% drop — driven in part by increased emigration, especially among younger age groups. Around two-thirds of emigrants were aged 16–34, with 110,000 young Britons leaving the country in that period.
While these figures don’t prove that job scarcity is the sole cause, they align with the idea that when local labour markets offer poor prospects, young people are much more likely to consider moving abroad for work.
3. Why This Matters for the UK’s Economic Outlook
If a significant segment of the young workforce continues to leave or opt out of the labour market, it can have several negative effects:
a) Lower labour supply where it matters
Young workers are often a source of flexible, dynamic labour — from entry-level professional roles to key services. Losing them can exacerbate skill shortages and reduce long-term productivity growth.
b) Reduced tax base and slower consumption
Young workers tend to spend on housing, transport, leisure — all parts of the economy that generate tax revenue. Their absence can contribute to slower domestic demand.
c) Long-term growth implications
A large cohort of NEET individuals or emigrants means the UK risks a scarring effect on lifetime earnings and skills development, lowering human-capital growth and future GDP potential.
Analysts estimate that reversing high NEET levels could boost the economy by tens of billions of pounds, showing how much is at stake.
4. What’s Behind the Youth Jobs Challenge?
Several structural factors compound the weak jobs outlook and potential emigration:
Fewer entry-level and graduate positions than in previous decades — meaning young entrants struggle to find roles that match their skills.
Regional economic disparities, with some former industrial regions showing entrenched disadvantages that limit youth opportunities.
Economic inactivity due to health or discouragement, which means many young people aren’t even counted as actively seeking work.
These combine to reduce the pull of the UK labour market for young workers — and potentially increase the push toward overseas options.
Conclusion: A Growing Risk, Not a Full-Blown Exodus Yet
There is emerging evidence that weak job prospects are contributing to higher rates of young people considering or actually leaving the UK, even if direct causal data are still limited.
This trend matters because it affects the competitiveness and demographic balance of the workforce, potentially weakening productivity growth and tax revenues in the long term. With nearly one in eight young people NEET and many contemplating opportunities abroad, the UK faces a structural challenge that goes beyond headline unemployment numbers.
Addressing this will likely require more targeted job creation, training pipelines, and incentives to retain young talent — or the country risks losing a generation to stronger economies overseas.