'A generation at risk' | Youth jobs slump creates fresh workforce challenge for HR

The UK’s youth jobs market is sliding down the international rankings, with new PwC analysis warning that the economic cost of inaction could run into tens of billions of pounds.

According to PwC’s 2025 Youth Employment Index, the UK now ranks 27th out of 38 OECD countries for youth employment outcomes, having seen a sharp deterioration in recent years. The Index looks at how 16 to 24-year-olds are faring across areas such as labour market participation, job quality and skills development.