More than one million under-25s across the UK are now not in education, employment or training (NEET), according to the latest official figures from the House of Commons Library. In Greater Manchester, young people describe a frustrating job market where employers often do not reply to applications and demand experience they cannot obtain.
Youth Unemployment in Greater Manchester
The constituency of Blackley and Middleton South has the highest proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit with a requirement to seek work, at 10.2 percent. However, the problem also affects affluent areas: Cheadle, one of Greater Manchester’s most prosperous communities, has seen a 35 percent annual rise in young benefit claimants, the highest increase in the city-region.
Labour MP Graham Stringer, who has represented Blackley for 29 years, said he is “not surprised” by the figures but finds them “concerning.” He attributed the issue to the education system, arguing that children who fall behind in primary school literacy and numeracy often face greater difficulties later. “We always end up in cycles and it's always the poorest people and the least achieving people [academically] that are most badly hurt,” he told the Manchester Evening News.
Personal Stories of Struggle
Caoimhe, 18, from Middleton, worked as a lifeguard from age 16 but left when she started university. Since returning home in mid-May, she has applied for about 20 jobs. “I’ve probably applied for twenty jobs and only had like three replies to them but heard nothing else,” she said. She believes employers’ demand for experience is the main barrier: “It’s a really common thing. It’s just so hard to get a job because they want the experience.”
Her friend Ava, 19, has never had a job. “I’ve never had a job before but couldn’t find a job because everyone wanted experience and they didn’t want to take me,” she said. She has become accustomed to silence: “They don’t even reply. It makes me look like an idiot.” After spending hours on applications, she feels discouraged: “It discourages me because it's so much effort to apply and I’m not even going to hear back, so why bother?”
In Cheadle, Ellie-May King, 18, spent months applying online from November to March without any responses. “I applied for loads of jobs and none of them got back to me,” she said. She saw a careers adviser and took courses to improve her CV, but it made little difference. Finally, she walked into a restaurant and handed in a CV in person, leading to a job. “We sat down and had a chat and she said that I could come another week and start training,” she recalled.
Her colleague Aimee Maguiness, 18, also found success through face-to-face approaches. “It’s always been hard to look for a job but looking for a job on Indeed is so difficult. Not many get back to you at all,” she said. Encouraged by her mother, she began asking businesses directly. She now works alongside other young people aged 17 to 22, but many friends still struggle. “My friend has finished college and wants to go travelling but she can’t because she can’t find a job,” she added.
Employer Expectations and Policy Blame
Maria, 25, from Cheadle, has a job but feels trapped. “I have a job now but don’t want to leave because we know the job market is so bad now,” she said. It took four months to secure her current role, and she had to chase employers. “I feel trapped, there’s absolutely nothing out there and it takes ages and is so competitive.”
Alice, 25, wants a career in events but sees few options. “I’ve tried to apply for things but there’s not really much,” she said. “You need experience and we can’t get that without a job.”
Liberal Democrat MP Tom Morrison, whose Cheadle constituency saw the sharpest rise in youth benefit claims, blamed the Labour government’s increase in national insurance contributions (NICs) introduced in Rachel Reeves’ first 2024 budget. “The businesses I'm speaking to... what they are calling 'the jobs tax' - the national insurance contribution rise that the government put in place in the first budget - has really hammered them,” he told the MEN. He said this has particularly impacted graduate hiring. “It's no secret that the government inherited a terrible mess from the last one when it comes to youth unemployment, but this government policy on national insurance contributions has made the mess a catastrophe.”
Government Response: Youth Guarantee
The government has announced a Youth Guarantee backed by £2.5 billion, aiming to support nearly one million young people and unlock up to 500,000 jobs and training opportunities. The scheme includes a Jobs Guarantee providing a fully subsidised six-month paid job for eligible 18 to 24-year-olds who have claimed Universal Credit for 18 months. A government spokesperson said: “Too many young people are locked out of opportunity, work and education - and we are determined to change that. Backed by £2.5 billion, our Youth Guarantee will deliver a million opportunities across the country, ensuring every young person has the chance to earn or learn.” The spokesperson added that employers will receive hiring incentives worth up to £8,000 for taking on a young apprentice and an exemption from NICs for employees under 21 and apprentices under 25.
Despite these measures, many young people remain sceptical. Caoimhe summed up the frustration: “There are so many opportunities, so we’re shocked why we can’t get jobs. They all ask the same questions and I think it's because of our age and experience.”
