Young people delaying first jobs as record number have never worked, report warns

The Resolution Foundation said its study examined what was driving the number of young people who are not in employment, education or training - so-called Neets.

The research found that for those born between 1981-1985, almost two in five had never worked by the age of 17 but for those born 15 years later, between 1996-2000, two-thirds had never worked beyond 17.

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The think tank said the rise is likely to have been driven by the social and cultural shifts towards young people staying in education longer.

A steady share of young people are falling out of education prematurely and not finding jobs, with 75,000 16 to 17-year-olds out of work or study across the UK this year, said the report.

The Resolution Foundation said Neet rates for 16 to 17-year-olds vary hugely across the country.

The proportion who are Neet or unknown to their local authority is as low as 1% in Barnet and 1.6% in Ealing, but as high as 15.1% in Northumberland and 21.5% in Dudley.

The report recommends efforts to retain young people in education and boosting efforts to re-engage with those who fall out of the system to reduce Neet rates among 16 to 17-year-olds.

Julia Diniz, research specialist at the Resolution Foundation, said: "From flipping burgers to serving drinks or lugging boxes around, people's first experience of work is often one that stays with them throughout their working lives.

"But young people today are delaying their first taste of work and contributing to a rising share of young people who have never worked.

"This would be understandable if all young people were staying in education for longer, but in some parts of the country over one in 10 16 to 17-year-olds are neither learning nor earning or are otherwise unknown to their local authority.

"We need to help more young people stay in education or return if they drop out.

"Failing to do so risks stunting their long-term job prospects."