Do young people want to work?

The government asked young people who were neither working nor studying what they wanted to do next. Most did not say they wanted to stay out of work.

In a Department for Work and Pensions survey published on 27 August 2026, 84% of 417 respondents aged 16 to 24 said they wanted employment, education or training. 54% wanted employment, including 38% who wanted full-time work.

Those figures need care. YouGov questioned 417 young people outside education, employment and training in March and April. Their answers cannot speak for every young person in that position. And wanting work, education or training is not the same as wanting a job tomorrow.

Still, it is a difficult finding to square with the idea that young people are simply unwilling.

Wanting work and finding it

The same survey found that 11% believed they would never get into employment, education or training. Health problems, disabilities, caring responsibilities, money and the difficulty of getting a first opportunity all feature in the report.

A young person who has never held a job can find entry-level vacancies asking for experience. The government’s Young People and Work interim report describes how routes into first jobs have weakened. Employers want applicants to arrive ready to work, but somebody has to give them their first chance.

Not every person outside work is looking for the same thing. Some need treatment or practical support before a job is possible. Some have caring duties. Others can work but cannot find an employer willing to take them on. Treating all of them as one problem misses what is happening.

Would you take the job?

Finding a vacancy is only part of it. What does it pay? How many hours are guaranteed? Can you get there?

The Low Pay Commission has heard from workers with too few hours to earn a living and others working punishingly long hours to cover their bills. A shift can look reasonable at an hourly rate and look less attractive once the bus fare, childcare and unpaid travelling time are counted.

The Living Wage Foundation estimated in September 2026 that 6.3 million UK workers were in insecure work. Its research put the average loss from short-notice changes at £230 a month among affected workers with variable hours. That is not a figure for all insecure workers, or specifically for young people.

Flexible shifts suit some people. Unpredictable shifts can make life impossible for others. There is a difference between choosing flexibility and being given no dependable hours.

Before accusing somebody of refusing work, it is reasonable to ask what was actually on offer.

Are you paid what you’re worth?

Pay is not a neat measure of how useful or demanding a job is. Care workers and cleaners do essential work, yet their wages do not necessarily reflect its importance. The amount an employer offers also depends on costs, the labour market and how much choice an applicant has.

There is no single number that settles what a job should pay. Businesses have to remain viable. Workers have to live. But telling someone to work harder is a poor answer when the hours and wages available do not cover the cost of taking the job.

That matters especially at the beginning of working life, when an applicant may have little experience, savings or bargaining power.

What would make a difference?

Start with actual jobs. Skills England forecasts demand over the coming decade in construction, adult social care, clean energy, engineering and digital occupations. That does not establish a vacancy in every town today. Councils, colleges and employers should be able to show where opportunities exist locally, what training they require and how to apply.

Pay people while they learn. An apprenticeship combines a job with training, but the statutory apprentice rate can be lower than the ordinary adult minimum wage. A funded place is little use if the apprentice cannot afford to get to work or pay the rent. Training needs to lead towards a real job, with enough money to make the first step possible.

Keep the university route open too. Access to Higher Education Diplomas can help people who missed the usual qualifications. In England, eligible students can obtain an Advanced Learner Loan for an Access course. Under the scheme’s conditions, the remaining qualifying loan balance can be written off after they complete eligible higher education funded by Student Finance England. Living costs, childcare and travel are another matter. More bursary and maintenance help could determine whether someone can enrol at all.

Deal with the obstacles people actually face. A young carer may need predictable hours. Someone with a disability may need reasonable adjustments and support. Others need transport, suitable training or an employer willing to hire a beginner. These are different problems and need different answers.

None of those proposals was proved effective by the survey. The test would be whether people can start, afford to continue, and end up in lasting employment or education.

The research does not show that every young person wants to work. It does show that dismissing those without jobs as unwilling is a poor place to start.

If we want young people working, we need to give them work worth taking and a way to get there.