‘It’s soul-crushing’: young people battle bleak jobs market as youth unemployment rises

The Guardian - World NewsEN 6 min read 100% complete by Tom Knowles and Nicola SlawsonFebruary 17, 2026 at 08:17 PM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

Youth unemployment in the UK is rising, reaching a five-year high among 18-24 year olds in the last quarter of 2025. For 16-24 year olds, unemployment is the highest since 2014, surpassing the EU average for the first time. The article highlights the struggles of young people like Poppy Blackman, who faces constant rejection in her job search. Experts warn this trend poses a long-term risk, potentially leading to a generation dependent on benefits. Some attribute the rise to businesses cutting costs in a difficult economic climate. A government review is due to report on the issue in the summer.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

WPI Strategy 40% BBC 40% Martin Beck 40% London 40% Tesco 50% Ashwin Prasad 50% North Kent College 50% European Union 60% Alan Milburn 60% United Kingdom ×380% Poppy Blackman ×490%

Keywords

youth unemployment 100% jobs market 80% unemployment rate 70% job applications 60% long-term unemployment 60% benefits 50% economic impact 50% labour markets 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

United Kingdom

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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youth unemployment jobs market unemployment rate job applications long-term unemployment benefits economic impact labour markets

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