Summary
Over 700,000 university graduates in the UK are not working and are claiming welfare benefits, according to a think tank's analysis. The Centre for Social Justice reported that a significant number of these graduates are claiming Universal Credit, with many stating health issues as a reason for being out of work. The government is taking steps to address this by investing in job opportunities and reviewing the barriers young people face in the job market.
Key Facts
- More than 700,000 graduates in the UK are out of work and claiming benefits.
- 400,000 of these graduates are on Universal Credit, a benefit for those with low income or no work.
- 240,000 graduates reported health issues as the reason they cannot work, a number that has more than doubled since 2019.
- The number of unemployed graduates increased by over 200,000 since 2019.
- The UK government is investing £1.5 billion to support young people in working or learning.
- The Centre for Social Justice conducted the analysis using data from the Office for National Statistics and the Department for Work and Pensions.
- The UK government has also commissioned a review to understand and tackle the issues holding young people back in the job market.
