Revealed: The British towns with fewest jobs for young people as more than 1million left unemployed or out of education
Rotherham has the fewest job opportunities for young people in the UK, with 46 vacancies per 1,000 young residents, according to an IPPR report. The findings highlight a sharp regional “postcode lottery” and come as 981,000 young people are estimated to be not in education, employment or training, while the government prepares a review led by Alan Milburn.
The Cotswolds had the most opportunities, with 288 vacancies per 1,000 young people—around six times Rotherham’s rate—while nine of the ten best-served areas were in southern England. The report linked weak youth employment partly to slower recruitment in hospitality, leisure and retail, longer working lives, and potentially AI replacing entry-level tasks; it proposed targeted jobs, apprenticeship reform and replacing Universal Credit for young people with a youth allowance.
- Rotherham has Britain’s lowest rate of vacancies for young people.
- Regional differences leave some areas with six times more opportunities.
- IPPR proposes targeted jobs, apprenticeship reform and a youth allowance.
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The story concerns the uneven availability of work for young people across the UK. Some towns and regions have far fewer vacancies relative to the number of young residents, making it harder for people starting their working lives to find jobs nearby.
This matters because around 981,000 young people are estimated to be not in education, employment or training. Factors linked to the situation include changes in hospitality, leisure and retail, people working for longer, and the possibility that artificial intelligence could reduce some entry-level roles.
The Institute for Public Policy Research, or IPPR, is a research organisation that produced the analysis. Alan Milburn, a former Labour minister, is leading a government review, while proposed responses include creating more targeted jobs, changing apprenticeships and introducing a youth allowance.
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The case for
The figures suggest that young people’s employment prospects depend heavily on where they live, so targeted investment in weaker local economies could help address an unfair postcode lottery. Supporters would argue that better apprenticeships, more entry-level jobs and a dedicated youth allowance could prevent long-term economic scarring, particularly as automation and longer working lives reduce traditional routes into work.
The case against
The report’s vacancy figures may not capture differences in living costs, commuting options, job quality or whether advertised roles are suitable for young people, so they should not by themselves justify major national reforms. Critics might also argue that replacing Universal Credit with a youth allowance risks weakening incentives to work or creating costly bureaucracy, and that employers and local authorities should have greater responsibility for improving opportunities.
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